


Le Confident

by existentialcrisiscallingmyname (fangirlforever0)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Going to try to avoid angst but no promises, I tried to get the reveal out of the way, Identity Reveal, post-reveal, so hopefully the fluffy stuff can start right away
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-27 23:56:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 29,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6305446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirlforever0/pseuds/existentialcrisiscallingmyname
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette needed someone to talk to, and who else would be better at understanding her double life than Chat Noir himself?</p>
<p>AKA the one where Ladybug and Chat Noir reveal their identities to each other, and then as their relationship takes off they try to make things work while saving the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first ever Miraculous Ladybug work! I just adore these two little idiots and can't get enough of what would happen if they knew each other's identities, so I'm hoping to use this work as a means of playing around with that stuff. Hope you enjoy!

            Marinette had made up her mind. If she didn’t find someone to talk to about her double life, she was bound to go nuts within the next week.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t handle the secrecy of being a part-time super hero. Sure, it kind of sucked to have to lie to everyone she knew, but the risk of them getting hurt far outweighed the benefits of telling them. And it would probably complicate things more than she needed anyway.

What she was really craving, though, was someone to rehash the battles and details with. She could always talk to Alya about it, but she couldn’t share her _real_ perspective, and it just wasn’t the same as talking to someone who _knew._ It had been almost a year since she had received her kwami and her powers as Ladybug, and the bottle inside her that contained all of the excitement and worries that came with the responsibility was about to shatter. She needed a release, and fast.

So after lying face down on her bed for nearly two hours, she finally decided to tell someone, but it couldn’t be just anyone. Her parents couldn’t know the truth because they would worry too much and never let her continue to save Paris. Alya couldn’t know because she would freak out too much and would probably (no offense to her) “accidentally” oust her identity on her Ladyblog. She could tell Nino, but she didn’t know him that well and he probably wouldn’t believe her and/or would think she was crazy. That left Adrien, but she would sooner confide in Chloe than him.

Then who was left to share her biggest secret with? Well, the only person in Paris who could, remarkably, relate to her situation.

Chat Noir.

            Marinette knew it was crazy, stupid, and probably something she would soon regret. But she just couldn’t handle the solitude anymore. And it had been made clear since day one that Chat had been willing to reveal his identity, despite Marinette’s apprehensions to share her own. So it was with great bravery and will power that Marinette stood up off of her bed, asked Tikki to transform her, and made off into the evening-lit streets of Paris.

* * *

It didn’t take long for her to find Chat Noir, perched gracefully along the edge of the roof of some building near her bakery. He greeted her with a huge grin and a small wave, before he stood up to grab her hand and kiss it.

            “What a _purrfect_ time for my beautiful Ladybug to arrive and bless me with her presence,” he said playfully, laying it on thick. Ladybug laughed at his ridiculous behavior before sitting down next to him and swinging her legs off the side of the roof.

            “Oh quiet you,” she giggled. “Sorry I’m late, as usual.”

            “You had better have an excellent excuse, young lady,” he put one hand on his hip and the shook the index finger of his other hand at her with a big shit-eating grin splayed across his face.

            “Well, if you simply must know, I was contemplating our identities and lost track of time.” She didn’t want to reach this topic so early in the evening, but it seemed that now was as good a time as any to discuss it. Chat seemed relaxed and comfortable with where the conversation was heading, so Ladybug felt like it was alright to bring it up right way.

            “Our identities, you say? Are you trying to _claw_ your way into knowing who the mysterious Chat Noir is?” He just couldn’t be serious about anything, could he?

            “As if,” Ladybug replied with a chuckle. “But I have been debating if I should let you in on my secret.” She looked over to him and met his eyes. They had opened in surprise, but he was still smiling, leading Ladybug to believe that he was okay with what was about to happen.

            “My lady, it’s been almost a year of fighting crime together, and just now you’ve decided to consider revealing yourself? What’s with the sudden change of heart?” He was more serious now, grasping for an explanation as to what had happened to lead his lady to this decision. His voice reminded her of someone she knew, but she couldn’t quite place her finger on it…

            “I guess it’s because I’m finally finding it to be too much to bottle up. I mean, I want to be able to talk to someone about what it’s like from this perspective, not just from the sidelines.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “My best friend is really involved in watching what Ladybug and Chat Noir do, but I can’t talk to her about what it’s actually _like._ She can’t know who I am, so trying to talk the details is a no-go with her. I guess, out of all of this, I figured that you would be the most understanding of anybody.” She smiled at him shyly, reminding him of someone he knew, but he couldn’t put his finger on…

            “My lady, I am absolutely touched that you’ve considered me to be your confidant, and as long as you’re sure about this, I’m willing to take your identity to my feline grave.” He stood up, taking her hand and pulling her up along with her. “It would make winning your heart even easier if I knew who you were as a civilian; I’d be able to figure out and destroy this other man competing for your heart.” He winked at Ladybug and she laughed quietly.

            “Just for that comment, I’m gonna make you wait until the end of the patrol to see who the woman behind the mask is.” She chuckled before taking off across the rooftops, leaving Chat to sigh disappointedly before chasing after her.

* * *

            “I’m absolutely _purring_ with anticipation, my lady.” Chat whispered as they arrived in a dark alleyway, well outside of the view of unsuspecting Parisians.

            Ladybug sighed anxiously before turning to meet Chat’s gaze head on. “I just need you to promise me one thing.”

            “Anything for the girl about to bare her soul to me,” he whispered dramatically. She rolled her eyes before carrying on nervously.

            “Promise me that no matter who I am outside the mask that you’ll still be my partner and best friend, even if you absolutely can’t stand the klutz I am in everyday life.” Chat’s eyes widened and he felt the most intense sadness that he had felt in a long time. Why would she say something like that? No matter what, she was still Ladybug, regardless of what her name was outside of her miraculous. It broke his heart to hear the self-loathing in her voice as she asked him for this one incredibly unnecessary favor.

            “Ladybug,” he said as he walked up to her. “You will always be my lady, my princess, no matter who you are, because no matter what kind of person you are on the other side, you’ll always be Ladybug. You were chosen for this job for the same reasons I was, and there is no reason that you should feel like you aren’t worthy. So of course I promise.” He hugged her then, and she hugged him back twice as hard, hiding her face in his shoulders.

            He had grown so much over the last year alone, both physically and emotionally. No longer was he (always) the immature flirt that he had started out as. Just as his shoulders had broadened and his jawline strengthened, his relationship with Ladybug had expanded to be more than just jokes and fighting, but of friendship and partnership. If she were honest with herself, she had a bigger crush on Chat Noir than she had on Adrien, but she would never admit it to anyone.

            She stepped back from him just as her earrings emitted their first warning beep. “You’d better be ready to talk the rest of the night way once I’m not Ladybug.” She smiled at him, and he winked in return. He had nothing more to look forward to in his entire life. Suddenly, he was engulfed in a bright light as she transformed back into her civilian self, and Chat Noir began to laugh as soon as he saw who she was.

            “I knew it would be you!” He laughed out, before once again pulling her into a tight hug. “You make a beautiful Ladybug, Marinette.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette's dreams can come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't believe how fast this got kudos and hits! Was planning on waiting to post this chapter but since it's written, might as well post it now. Thanks for all the love and hope you enjoy!

“How’d you know it’d be me?” Marinette asked in a surprise gasp.

            “You just scream with Ladybug’s personality, my lady.” Chat winked and smiled incredibly wide at Marinette, making her blush at the sheer happiness on his features.

            “Oh please, I can barely stay balanced when I’m not Ladybug. There’s no way you’d have guessed.” She crossed her arms over her chest playfully, not believing that he knew all along.

            “You just don’t realize how observant I am, that’s all.” He took a step back. “But I think I should return the favor, don’t you? I bet you’ll be pretty happy to realize who’s been flirting with you for the past year.” Just as Marinette turned to look at Chat, she was blinded by a bright light before looking into two great big green eyes. She wanted to scream, cry, dance, and throw up all at the same time.

            “ _Adrien?”_ She nearly yelled. Chat, no, Adrien bowed in front of her before taking her hand and kissing the top of it.

            “My lady, the one who you have been pinning over for so long has been pinning over you as well, although we never knew it because it was each other’ alter egos.” Marinette felt all the color drain out of her face. There was no way this was happening, and there was no way that he knew about her crush on him!

            “How did you-” her voice died mid-sentence, but Adrien quickly picked up where she left off in a very Chat-like manner.

            “Know that you were hopelessly infatuated with me? If the stuttering and awkwardness wasn’t enough, the pictures of me in your room were a dead giveaway.” Marinette could feel her soul dying inside. She was such a creep. And Adrien knew it because Chat Noir knew it, and Chat Noir was Adrien.

            “I think I need to lie down,” she mused.

            “Uh, no you don’t, my lady. I believe you promised me one night of superhero-a-superhero chatting?” He smiled another huge shit-eating grin before grabbing her hand and pulling her down the street to his nearby home.

 

* * *

          Marinette had pinched herself a grand total of twenty times for believing this was some kind of dream. Here she was, lying in the “slumber party” position on Adrien’s bed, with him doing the same next to her. They had snuck in at about midnight, making their way up to his bedroom to talk the night away and let their kwami rest. Marinette felt awkward the whole way there, seeing as Adrien had acknowledged that he was completely aware of her crush on him. They made small talk for a while, allowing Marinette to process the whole reveal. She ran over every detail slowly, until she finally caught up to where they were in time, and blurted into the conversation while Adrien was still saying something.

            “Why didn’t you ever acknowledge me if you knew I liked you?” She covered her mouth as soon as she said it, not having meant to say it out loud. Adrien looked surprised at the sudden outburst, but then took to contemplating his answer.

            “I guess it was because my heart was after another girl,” he said after a few moments. Marinette was immediately dejected, knowing instantly who he was referring to.

            “Oh, I guess that makes Chloe really happy, to know that you like her back.” Suddenly Adrien blanched, and then burst out laughing, much louder than he should have for fear of waking up one of the security guards.

            “Me, liking Chloe?! That’s rich!” He continued to laugh, confusion splaying across Marinette’s face. After he calmed down, he continued. “Didn’t you listen to what I said after I transformed? I was, in fact, after another girl, but she just so happened to be the mysterious Ladybug. If I had known sooner that she was you, and that you liked me, a lot of this would have been avoided.” Then it was Marinette’s turn to laugh. And boy, did she laugh hard. She laughed so hard that it caused Adrien to laugh, and before they knew it, they had laughed so long that their abdomens hurt. This lightened the mood, and the duo talked and talked until light began to shine through the windows of Adrien’s room.

            “I’d better hurry home; my parents don’t know that I’m out.” She said after she realized how late it was. She stood up and called over Tikki, who had been sleeping next to Plagg on one of Adrien’s pillows.

            “Farewell, my lady. I’ll see you in class!” Adrien called dramatically to Marinette just as she transformed, and she waved back at him just before jumping out of the window and out into the city of Paris.

           

* * *

“Whoa, girl, what tea did you drink this morning? You look _ecstatic!_ ” Alya greeted Marinette as she walked up (more like floated up) the stairs to school the next morning.

            “Oh, I didn’t have any this morning, I just had a great night’s sleep is all,” she said off-handedly.

            “Those dark circles tell me otherwise,”Alya pestered. “What were you up to all night?” \

            “I was over at Ad-” She stopped herself before going on, but it was too late. Alya stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Now there was no way out of telling her what happened.

            “You were _where?_ ” Alya looked her square in the eye. “Were you about to say _Adrien?”_ Marinette went cold.

            “No, no, I was over at a, um, a dress shop! I was buying some new clothes and they’re so pretty that it’s brightened my whole day!” The warning bell rang loudly before Marinette could dig a deeper hole for herself. “Oh, look at the time! We’d better not be late for class! Gotta run Alya!” Marinette took off, Alya hot on her heels to the classroom. When she walked in, Adrien was already there.

            “Hey, Marinette!” He greeted happily.

            “Good morning, Adrien!” Marinette smiled before taking her seat behind him. Alya watched the encounter as she came in, and shot Nino a confused glance, which he returned. _What’s up with them?_ He mouthed to her. Alya shrugged in reply before taking her seat just as class started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I'm thinking of just posting each chapter as soon as I'm done with it, so get pumped for very inconsistent updates! (Yay!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette wishes her friends and family were far less nosy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who has too much time on her hands? This gal! I couldn't resist writing about the first time Adrien goes home with Marinette. Also, let me know if there's anything you'd like to see the super duo go through, either in the comments or on my tumblr (existentialcrisiscallinmyname)! Hope you enjoy!!!

            That afternoon, Hawkmoth had attacked the city yet again with another Akuma. The target had been a reporter whose article about the relationship between Ladybug and Chat Noir had been denied publication in the local newspaper. He was easily defeated by the two superheroes, and after a few moments of chatting with the reporters there, the two swung off into the distance. They stopped a few blocks over on the roof of an apartment building.

            “That was pretty easy,” Chat commented after catching his breath for a few minutes. Having used his Cataclysm, his ring had begun to beep its warning, but for the first time in his life, Chat didn’t care.

            “Who would’ve guessed that our physics test would be harder than saving Paris from Hawkmoth?” Ladybug’s earrings were beeping too, but she just spoke over them. “At least we don’t have to run off anymore.” She smiled over at Chat, who returned the expression and winked at her. Against her will, Ladybug’s cheeks flushed a brilliant red.

            “And here I never thought I’d ever get the chance to make Ladybug blush!” He smiled even bigger, eyes ablaze with a newfound confidence.

            “Hey, don’t get too cocky, Romeo.” Just as she said it, her miraculous gave its last warning beep. Ladybug jumped down the side of the building into the alley next to it before she disappeared in flash of light, only to be replaced by Marinette. Chat followed suit, transforming back once he hit the ground.

            “Say, do you want something to eat? We’re pretty close to my house and I’m sure my parents have some leftover baked goods.” Marinette blushed as she asked him, and looked immediately at her very interesting shoes. It was something she had never dreamed of doing, but here she was, not willing to miss this opportunity. At least, that’s what gave her the confidence to do it, anyway.

            “I’d love to. It’s good to stay up to date on which of my pictures make the cut to be on Marinette’s walls.” He smiled kindly at her, knowing that teasing her about that would only make her blush harder. She began to walk away, and Adrien ran up to walk beside her. With his heart pounding in his chest, he grabbed her hand and laced his fingers in between hers.

            Marinette nearly jumped ten feet in the air, and blushed so deeply that the red was boarder-line purple.

            “Is this okay?” He asked her, glancing at her face. She had lost all words. She forgot how to speak, and was starting to forget how to listen, too.

            “Uh, oh yeah, this is, this is really great, uh, yeah.” She glanced over at him and saw him smiling hard. “This is more than okay, actually.”

            And it was in this fashion that the two walked merrily to Marinette’s home and bakery. What neither realized was that as they passed a major intersection, Alya had been coming towards them down the cross street, and spotted the two of them instantly. Without them realizing, her camera was out. She snapped a picture and quickly dialed up Nino.

* * *

            As soon as they reached their destination, Marinette pushed the door open, dropping Adrien’s hand so as to avoid any and all questions from her parents.

            “Hi mom, hi dad! You don’t mind if I have someone over for a little bit, do you?” Marinette’s mom was bent over pulling muffins from the oven, and her dad was in the back freezer searching for something.

            “Yes, of course honey! I have left over cupcakes in the fridge back here. Who is it?” Just as she asked the question, her mom stood up and turned to see a very awkward Adrien smiling, waving with one hand and rubbing the back of his neck with the other.

            “Oh, Adrien! It’s been a long time since you’ve been over here! Welcome!” Marinette began to push Adrien up the stairs, hoping to avoid the awkward conversation with her mom.

            “We’re gonna play some videogames so see you!” She yelled as she shoved Adrien upstairs. As she reached the top, she heard her mother whispering to her dad about “keeping an eye on those two” and “I thought Marinette had a crush on him?”

            “You’re parents are so nice!” Adrien laughed as he sat on the chaise. “I wish I had parents like that.” He smiled sadly, looking at the floor. “Sorry, don’t mean to be a downer.” Marinette sat down next to him, leaning into his side and (boldly) putting her hand on top of his.

            “Want to talk about it?” She asked softly.

            “There’s not much to talk about,” he leaned into her equally. “My dad’s just so busy; he spends so much time working that sometimes I figure he loves his job more than he does me.” Adrien rested his head on Marinette’s shoulder. They were slowly melting into each other.

            “I’m sure he loves you a lot, but maybe his job is just preventing him from showing you that.” She reasoned, and it made Adrien feel a little better.

            “At least you care,” he whispered, not really meaning for her to hear it but knowing it was true. Marinette squeezed his hand, and he flipped his palm over so their fingers could interlace once again. It felt so good, the warmth of his fingers, the contact between their bodies, the Marinette never wanted to move. But, right on cue, she heard the heavy footsteps of her father coming up the stairs to her room. She all but flew to the computer, hastily trying to boot up some videogame so that he wouldn’t suspect anything outrageous.

            “Hey you guys,” he said as he opened the hatch. “I brought up some cookies for you guys! Hungry?” He smiled, but his eyes rapidly searched the room to make sure there was at least twelve inches between his baby girl and this so-called “supermodel”.

            “Thanks, dad!” Marinette said over her shoulder as she busied herself in starting up a game.

            “If I can make an odd request,” Adrien piped in, “do you happen to have any camembert cheese?” Adrien was met with a strange look from Marinette’s father and felt Plagg wiggle excitedly in his pocket.

            “I think we might, actually. I’ll bring it right up!” Adrien thanked him and took the plate of cookies over to the desk. Soon the pair received the cheese, and as soon as the hatch closed, Tikki and Plagg raced out from their hiding places to eat the newly arrived foods.

            “They’re so nosy,” Marinette commented as her dad left. “Do you actually want to play a game or would you rather just chill out?” She looked over at Adrien on the chaise.

            “Um, I think I’d rather just chill out, actually.” And with that, the two moved back to their spots on the chaise. They talked about school, their friends, and their teachers. Marinette tried to keep the conversation away from family, only to avoid upsetting Adrien again. After a while, the conversation dissolved into comfortable silence, with Adrien tracing patterns on the back of Marinette’s hand with his thumb.

            “Do you prefer Adrien or Chat Noir?” He broke the silence. The question found Marinette off guard, and she thought about it for a long time.

            “I like both,” Adrien was about to interject that that was a dumb answer, but she continued, “but I like the whole picture a lot more. I like Chat Noir’s flirty personality and dumb jokes, but I also like how sweet and sensitive Adrien is. But I do find both of them incredibly hot.” Marinette threw her free hand over her mouth. She hadn’t meant to say that last bit.

            “So do you prefer me in my street clothes or in the tight leather suit?” Adrien was going to die laughing, raising one eyebrow to match his question. He looked over at Marinette’s blood red face and nearly lost it.

            “Uh, I mean, I guess…” She trailed off, muttering incoherent phrases. Finally, she sighed and gave in to answering the question as Adrien laughed. “Alright, if I’m honest, I really, _really_ like Chat Noir’s suit on you,” she blushed and Adrien winked at her, making it worse, “but I really like looking at your non-cat eyes.” Adrien stopped giggling, and smiled genuinely at Marinette. They were so close; he could almost feel her breath on his face. He leaned in, slowly, slowly, even more slowly, nearly there, and then…

            The two jumped when Marinette’s phone started to play a snippet of one of Jagged Stone’s songs. Marinette dove to grab it, only to place a horrified look on her face.

            “What’s wrong?” Adrien came up behind her, looking at her screen. It was a text from Alya, specifically a picture text. A picture text, nonetheless, of the two of them walking hand in hand to the bakery.

             From: Alya @ 5:46 PM: WHAT THE HELL???


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien deal with their not-well-timed relationship reveal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, here I find myself too excited to wait to post this. Oh well, I'm sure you guys aren't complaining, right? 
> 
> Also, as a tiny spoiler for next chapter, let's just say it's going to be a bit closer to the edges of the "T" rating. ;) Hope you enjoy, and feel free to let me know how to make it better!

          So maybe this had complicated things. Now they couldn’t ease into telling their friends about their relationship. They could lie, say “surprise, we’ve been together behind your backs” but that didn’t seem like a good option. They could say “surprise, I asked her out today after school” but that would seem rushed. They could say “surprise, we’re Ladybug and Chat Noir and have secretly been in love with each other’s alter egos for over a year” but that didn’t sound good either. The jury was in; it would be hard to explain the sudden change in relationship status. But the even _calmer_ , more _relaxed_ question that was _gently_ cascading through Adrien’s head was as follows:

_WHAT THE HELL_ WAS _THEIR RELATIONSHIP STATUS?_

            He didn’t want to push things. In reality, they’d really only truly known each other for two days. Sure, they’d been friends and partners for over a year as Ladybug and Chat Noir, but that didn’t count. They didn’t really know all of each other- one half did not equal one whole. But they couldn’t exactly stay “just friends” now that they had held hands and had almost, you know, he had been about to…

            A similar train of thought was whizzing around Marinette’s head. She had to answer Alya now that she had read the text (curse read receipts!) but she had no idea what to say. But the more concerning question running through her head was whether or not Adrien wanted to take the fabled _next step._ She didn’t want to rush things, but they had known each other as Ladybug and Chat Noir for over a year…

            “What do you want to do?” They both looked at each other and said at the same time. Adrien smiled, and Marinette blushed. Working together for so long meant they worked in the same school of thought.

            Adrien cleared his throat, and then pulled Marinette to sit back on the chaise. He held her hands and looked into her eyes. She blushed even harder than before.

            “I guess now is as good a time as any…” He began. “Marinette, my lady, after a whole year of kicking ass as Ladybug and Chat Noir, would you maybe want to, you know…” He gulped and silently prayed that there was a cushioned bottom to the leap he was about to make, “take the next step?” He looked away, almost closing his eyes out of sheer terror. Marinette was about to do a backflip. This had to be a dream; there was no way that the crush of her formative years was _asking her out?!_

            “I guess it only took one year of flirting for Chat Noir to earn a chance with Ladybug,” she said, turning to look him straight in the eyes. For once, both of them shared the same shit-eating grin. “But what do I tell Alya?”

            The two spent thirty minutes formulating their response. It took sweat, tears, and endless giggles, but finally they came up with what they found would be acceptable.

            To: Alya @ 6:19 PM: Grab Nino and meet us at the park in 20

           

* * *

            The couple (something that both were relishing in saying) made their way to the park five minutes before the arranged meeting time. They confidently walked there holding hands, and continued to clasp one another once they sat themselves on a park bench. It wasn’t long before the two saw a seething Alya dragging a confused Nino behind her. Adrien squeezed Marinette’s hand as a sign of comfort and as a sign of his own anxiety.

            “There had better be a really great explanation as to why I, Marinette’s best friend, had been left out of the loop when she _finally hooked up with the crush she’s had for over a year!_ ” Alya was just a little bit angry. Nino, finally, had a realization as to what was going on.

            “Dude, you finally grew some and asked her out?” Both Marinette and Adrien blushed under the invasive gazes of their respective best friends.

            “We can explain-” Marinette began.

            “This better be good!” Alya exclaimed, crossing her arms and sitting crisscross on the grass in front of the pair.

            “Well, you see, it was…” Marinette trailed off, looking at Adrien for help. He had an idea, but he doubted Marinette would like it.

            “We both discovered that we were both Ladybug and Chat Noir, respectively, and learned that Chat Noir liked Ladybug and Marinette liked Adrien, so we decided to get together.” Alya and Nino looked at each other, and Adrien looked over at Marinette, only to be met with a stark-white face whose jaw was resting on the floor. She couldn’t believe he had just said that! What was he thinking! They couldn’t know about their double lives in case Hawkmoth came after them! They were doomed, she had to do something, or else-

            “HAHAHAHA” Nino and Alya burst out laughing at the same time. They were laughing so hard that tears were running down their cheeks. Adrien smirked and was proud that what he had said had seemed so preposterous to their friends that he got away with telling the truth. Marinette silently crushed his fingers as hard as she could with hers, and Adrien winced slightly.

            “Alright, alright,” Nino started after he calmed down from his laughing fit. “What actually happened?” Adrien once again looked to Marinette.

            “I slipped a note in Marinette’s locker asking her over to my place for dinner a few weeks back. She said yes, we went on a few dates, and boom, here we are!” Adrien made a flourish with his hands before quickly rejoining one of them with Marinette’s.

            “Yeah, it was magical. We had so much fun! But I didn’t tell you because I wanted to make sure we were actually a thing first.” Marinette chimed in, hoping that their friends would buy the act.

            “Alright, I see your point…” Alya finally responded after a few long seconds of staring down the two of them. “But all I ask is that in return for this,” Alya squinted her eyes at Adrien as she spoke, “Marinette and I need to have an emergency sleep over. Tonight.” Marinette looked over at Adrien, who winked and nodded, before the two girls made plans to sleep at Marinette’s house that evening. Jumping on the bandwagon, Nino arranged to stay over at Adrien’s that night as well, in order to “keep him company in the absence of his beloved.”

            As soon as their friends left, Adrien and Marinette looked at each other and giggled like they had just gotten away with murder.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Alya and Nino have more fun with their best friends relationship change than they should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am quickly realizing how little self-control I possess, seeing as I can't even make it a day without feeling the urge to post what I've written up :D
> 
> Thing's get a little saucy during the simultaneous sleepovers, so I hope you enjoy, and please let me know how to improve things/any situations you'd like to see the super duo get into! 
> 
> P.S: I've never watched the Bachelor, so please forgive me if I got how it works completely wrong! :/

           

* * *

            “Tell. Me. EVERYTHING.” Alya screamed as soon as she made it upstairs to Marinette’s room for their Friday night sleepover. She plopped her bag down on the chaise and had already scrambled up onto her friend’s loft bed, already assuming the “slumber party position.” Marinette followed suit, quickly lying face to face with her bestie.

            “Well, there isn’t much to report on…” Marinette trailed off as she thought, but was quickly pulled back to the conversation with Alya’s dark expression. She would not take no for an answer.

            “Ok, how about we do a Q&A style session then?” She pantomimed pulling out a microphone and holding it up to her own lips. “Have you been in his room yet?”

            “Yes,” Marinette answered promptly, thinking of sitting in this same position with Adrien.

            “Have you been in his bed yet?” Alya raised her eyebrow with the question.

            “Sexually, no. Platonically, yes.” Alya looked at her for more details. “We literally sat there just like we are now, end of report, you weirdo.” Alya stuck her tongue out at her best friend in response.

            “What dates have you been on?” Alya asked, wasting no time and going right for the jugular.

            “Well, we’ve just been,” Marinette hesitated, “hanging around.” She wasn’t about to just give up all the details about their rooftop rendezvous’ as Chat Noir and Ladybug, but it would be relatively difficult topic to avoid seeing as almost all of their “dates” had been as the masked pair. “Not much really changed once he asked me. We just kind of talk and hold hands and stuff.”

            “Have you kissed him yet?” Alya mimed putting the microphone under Marinette’s chin.

            “No, I mean, I almost did, but…” Alya was waiting for “the but”. “But then a certain bestie rang the phone and interrupted the moment.” Marinette gave Alya a playful but scornful look, and Alya quickly moved to rub the back of her neck.

            “Oops, sorry sis. Next question!” She mimed moving the microphone back to her. “What have you guys been talking about?”

            “I don’t know, I guess just school and our lives at home. We’ve even talked about Ladybug and Chat Noir a couple times. Apparently he’s a _huge_ fan of Ladybug. Couldn’t shut up about her; it was almost like he was trying to make me jealous!” Alya laughed, but Marinette laughed even harder on the inside. She totally got why Adrien had told “the truth” earlier in the park- it was too much fun to dangle reality in front of their friend’s un-smelling noses.

            “Ok, so just general ‘beginning of relationship’ conversation, nothing too extraordinary I see. Now, as the saucy conclusion to this interview, I will ask you the juiciest question!” Alya gave herself a drumroll with her hands against the mattress. “Have you told him you love him?”

            Marinette had to think about this one. Technically, it was kind of out there that Marinette had been “in love” with Adrien, but she never really meant that it went that far, and she hadn’t said she loved Chat Noir either.

            “No, I mean I told him I like him, but haven’t used ‘love’ yet.” That was her final answer.

            “Do you love him?” Now _that_ , Alya knew, was the million dollar question. Marinette felt suddenly uncomfortable, not knowing how to respond. Did she? It was really too soon to give an answer, but she had, after all, known Chat for over a year, and they had spent an awful lot of time together…

            “It’s too soon to say. I want to love his personality, not just his face.” Marinette was proud of her answer. Non-committal was the way to go here.

            “But you do love his body?” Alya raised an eyebrow. “Actually, no, I retract that question. Have you _seen_ his body?” And with that, the two girls erupted into giggles that continued long into the night.

           

* * *

            “Dude, spill. What’s been up on this season of _The Bachelor?_ ” Nino teased, earning a light punch in the arm from Adrien. They were sitting on his couch, the TV running some dumb movie in the background.

            “Well, the season finale came down to Chloe and Marinette, and against all odds I decided to give the last rose to Marinette.” Adrien rolled his eyes as he finished his sentence.

            “Dude, is that how that show works? I’ve never seen it,” Adrien blanched at the reveal of his above-average knowledge of “chick” TV shows. “But that aside, seriously, when’d you decide to ask her out?” Nino turned completely away from the TV to face Adrien, who paused the movie.

            “Would you believe me if I told you it was spur of the moment?” Nino shook his head no. “Alright, alright; believe it or not, I’ve had a crush on Marinette almost as long as she had one on me.” Nino gasped dramatically, obviously very surprised.

            “Why’d you never say anything? Better yet, why didn’t you ask her out earlier? It was apparent that she liked you.” Nino was catching on, so Adrien had to throw him off.

            “You know I’m a really private person, Nino. And I had no idea she liked me. Isn’t that sad? I’m a ‘super famous, super rich supermodel’ yet I can’t even tell when a girl likes me or not,” Nino nodded in understanding, to which Adrien internally sighed out of relief.

            “You should’ve just asked me, dude. You could’ve been at least halfway to third base by now.” Adrien actually thought he was going to die from embarrassment. How could he be so casual about that stuff? Well, Adrien supposed, he had been with Alya for a while now…

            “Any who, Mr. Innocence, have you kissed her yet?” Nino raised his eyebrow and studied his best friends face for any hint of him lying.

            “I was about to when Alya called Marinette and interrupted us,” Adrien said sourly.

            “Eesh, sorry dude. So at this stage I suppose you haven’t told her you love her?” Adrien looked over at Nino.

            “Not yet.”

            “But you do love her? Even after only this long?” Adrien thought about it. True, he had only had a few days to get to know Marinette, but he’d had over a year to get to know Ladybug. And in that time, he’d fallen in love with her, so he figured that he was in love with Marinette just the same.

            “Yeah, I guess its love at first sight.” Adrien said to no one in particular, looking anywhere but his friend.

            “Dude, you’ve obviously watched _way_ too many chick flicks.” Both boys laughed. “But what else have you been getting up to? Have you sent her any pics yet? That was one of the first things me and Alya did once we hooked up.” Adrien did not appreciate the image of his best friend sending any kind of sinful picture to his girlfriend, nor the idea that the relationship had started as a “hook up”.

            “No, I doubt she wants to see anymore of me than she already does. We’ve been spending almost all of our time together.” Adrien’s thoughts drifted to the many hours of patrols and battles that he had shared with Ladybug. They were almost inseparable now, seeing as they were always together as the super duo and spent half of their time together as civilians.

            “Earth to Romeo, Earth to Romeo, come in Romeo!” Nino pantomimed speaking into a headset at NASA. Adrien punched him again in the shoulder, eliciting a small yelp from the other boy.  “Welcome back to Houston, Astronaut Adrien. I have an idea for you. Remember that shoot that you did a while back? The one that sent you the proofs you were so embarrassed about?” Adrien knew immediately which one he was referring to.

            “No,” he said, instantly eyeing his phone, which was precariously placed on the edge of the coffee table. It had been a mistake, Adrien thought too late, to have shared his passcode with Nino, because now he could do anything if he reached it in time. Before he could even think, Adrien dove for his phone, but Nino was quicker. He picked the device up and took off, running around the room as he searched for the email he wanted. When he found it, he picked the best picture and quickly sent it to Marinette.

            “You _didn’t_.” Adrien said in disbelief, stopping right in his tracks.

            “I _did_.” Nino retorted smugly.

            ‘I’m going to kill you,” Adrien said calmly, before picking up a pillow and chasing Nino around the room once again, hitting him as often as possible. And with that, the two boys started the ultimate pillow fight while waiting for Marinette’s reply. 

           

* * *

            “Hey, Marinette, you’re phone’s ringing!” Alya called to Marinette, who was presently getting ready for bed by washing her face in the bathroom.

            “Coming, give me just a second!” She yelled back in response. When she finished, she walked out to see that her best friend was actually bouncing up and down on her bed with excitement.

            “He sent you a picture! I want to see it!” Alya exclaimed childishly, and Marinette felt butterflies in her stomach. A picture from Adrien? What could it possibly be of?

            Marinette climbed into her loft bed like a flash, before rapidly unlocking her phone and opening her messages.

            “Oh. My. God.” Marinette whispered. Ayla screeched as she flew to sit behind Marinette, looking over her shoulder. On the screen was the most provocative photograph either girl had ever seen taken of Adrien. He was shirtless and wore low-rise jeans that exposed the v-shaped muscles that lead to _unthinkable_ areas. His arms were above his head, bent at just the right angle to show every muscle of them. His face was gorgeous; he was biting his lip and his hair fell into his eyes in just the right way. Marinette thought she was going to faint.

            As she was ogling, Alya snatched her phone and quickly pressed a bunch of buttons.

            “Hey, give that back!” Marinette yelled, grasping the air, trying to retrieve her phone.

            “Um, sorry honey, I’m doing us both a favor.” Suddenly, she heard the gears of her printer begin to work, and she suddenly knew what Alya had done. Both girls hopped down to receive the newly printed image. It was even better when it was on a full-sized sheet of photo-paper. You could see every detail as clear as day.

            Alya then grabbed a piece of tape and jumped back onto the loft bed, posting the picture directly above where Marinette usually slept.

           “Now, I fortunately have _a lot_ of experience in this area. As the first rule of sexting, you have to send a picture back!” Alya yelled.

            “No, no, no, I don’t ‘sext’! He doesn’t want to see that! Can’t we just pretend we didn’t get it?” Marinette squeaked nervously.

            “No can do, honey. First of all, he wouldn’t have sent it if he didn’t want all of _this,_ ” she waved her finger up and down her friends body. “And second, you’ve got read receipts on.” Damn those stupid things! “Climb up here, I’ll take it for you!” Without complaining, Marinette climbed back onto the bed and looked dumbly at Alya.

            “Okay, so you’ve got to match his intensity. So let your hair down and lie back for me.” Marinette was outrageously uncomfortable with how comfortable Alya seemed to be. “Okay, now put your right arm above your head, good! Now bend it a bit… perfect! No, no, something’s missing… Ooh, I know! Undo your top button!” Marinette was wearing a (very cheesy) ladybug-covered pajama set that had a button-up top. It was already low-cut to begin with, and undoing the top button would be scandalous… but so was the picture Adrien had sent…

            Marinette agreed apprehensively and undid the button. The shirt pulled apart just enough to reveal a lot of skin, and to expose the edges of her bra.

            “Excellent! Now put your right arm where you had it, good! And use your left hand to play with your hair a bit… awesome! Alright, now bite your lip and on the count of three I’ll take it!” Marinette did as she was told. “One, two, three!” The camera flashed, and the picture was done.

            Marinette sat up quickly, buttoning her shirt back up and looking over Alya’s shoulder.

            To: Adrien @ 11:11 PM: its 11:11 so make a wish! _1 Attachment_

* * *

            Adrien and Nino’s movie was interrupted by the sound of Adrien’s phone ringing.

            “Ooh, what’s it say?” Nino asked, moving over in order to see over his friend’s shoulder. When Adrien opened the message, both boys blushed furiously.

            “Adrien, you should listen to me more often.” Nino said in shock.

            “Hey Nino,” Adrien whispered. “Turn on the printer, and find me some tape.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's nothing better than back-to-back sleepover's, right? Especially when the next one is with your significant other. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for spring break! I'm planning on spending lots of time in front of my PC, so get ready for more of this fic than you probably could ever want! Also, this chapter is almost double of what the last chapters have been, so I hope you enjoy the extra-long adventure!

           

* * *

            Marinette awoke the next afternoon (because who gets up before noon after a sleepover?) to a note from her best friend, saying that she had to leave for some kind of website coding class and that she hadn’t woken her up so as to allow her “to enjoy the blissful dreams of that sweet hunk of man”. While Marinette rolled her eyes at the idea that she spent all her sleeping hours dreaming of Adrien, she couldn’t help but acknowledge that her new ceiling décor had placed him on the forefront of her mind the second she woke up.

            Before long, her mother had marched up the stairs, ordering the girl to get up quickly. It apparently was going to be a very busy afternoon for the bakery, so her parents needed all the help they could get from their daughter. Begrudgingly Marinette got dressed. She had hoped to have a few moments to talk to her (she couldn’t believe she was about to say this) boyfriend about what had happened the night before, but that simply didn’t happen.

            Marinette spent the next two hours rushing back and forth between the oven and the decoration area of the bakery’s kitchen, baking the sweets almost as fast as they were flying out the door. Her only reprieve from the exhausting work was at about three o’clock when Adrien texted her.

            From: Adrien @3:07 PM: you free? Kitty wants to play ;)

            To: Adrien @ 3:08 PM: No- people at bakery like it’s going out of business. Probs won’t be able to leave anytime soon :(

            From: Adrien @ 3:08 PM: But I’m boreeeeeedddd

            To: Adrien @ 3:09 PM: Sorry ur out of luck kitty

            From: Adrien @ 3:10 PM: Can I at least get another pic to hold me over? ;)

            Marinette was going to kill this boy. She knew exactly what type of pic he was after, but she couldn’t exactly get half naked in the back of the bakery with her parents (and customers) only a few feet away. So instead she took what she hoped was a cute selfie, throwing on a cute pout.

            To: Adrien @3:14 PM: Wish my kitty was here to keep me company _1 Attachment_

            She didn’t get to see his reply because of an even bigger surge of orders. In fact, she didn’t even so much as glance at her phone until around 7:30 that night, as she was walking up the stairs to her room.

            From: Adrien @3:16 PM: Maybe I could come over and ‘help’?

            From: Adrien @3:20 PM: I’m guessing you got busy

            From: Adrien @4:30 PM: Hello?

            From: Adrien @7:25 PM: That’s it

            As she read the last text, confused, she opened the hatch door into her room, absentmindedly walking over to her desk before setting down her phone. She sat in her chair and started to browse the internet on her computer.

            “BOO!” Marinette jumped straight out of her chair, landing on the floor with a loud thud. She swore she could feel her tailbone bend with the force of the impact.

            “Shit! Are you alright?” The form of Chat Noir flew down from the top of her loft bed to her side, quickly wrapping his arms around her to help her stand back up. “I had meant to surprise you, but I didn’t mean to scare you so bad that you hurt yourself!” As soon as she was standing, Marinette was pulled into a tight hug that screamed his apology to her. She knew he had only meant to surprise her, but he still had scared the living daylights out of her.

            “Marinette, are you alright?” Just then, the two heard Marinette’s mother call upstairs, as well as the footsteps of someone approaching the hatch.

            “Quick, head onto the balcony!” Marinette hissed at Chat. He jumped up and out of the room, and Marinette splayed herself on the floor so as to look like she had tripped just as the door opened.

            “Goodness, did you fall over again?” Marinette’s mother questioned.

            “Yeah, sorry, didn’t mean to scare you!” Marinette smiled, trying to act natural.

            “Well, as long as you’re alright!” Her mother quickly returned the door to its closed position, and the girl sighed in relief. That could’ve been close, she thought. When she turned around, she saw that Chat had made his way back into her room, sitting atop her bed.

            “Want to go back to my place, my lady?” He asked, looking at his girlfriend hopefully.

            “I don’t know; I had such a long day…” Marinette trailed off playfully, wanting to make Chat work for her company.

            “Oh, come on, please? I promise it’ll be worth your while!” He cocked his head to the side and smiled lopsidedly at her, and she felt her resolve melt.

            “Let me just ask my parents,” she said before making her way downstairs. She played it off as a trip to Alya’s, and despite the exclamations of “but she was just here last night”, she managed to convince them that she had a project to start with her. She told them that she didn’t know if she was spending the night or not, although the voice in her head was praying for that to be the case. After her parents agreed, she ran back upstairs, told Chat to meet her in the next door alley, and grabbed her bag before running out of the house.

            When she made it to the alleyway, Chat stood against a wall, arms crossed and feet slightly in front of him. With his face in the shadows of the evening light, Marinette swooned at how good he looked.

            “Want to race?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at the civilian girl.

            “You bet!” She yelled before transforming into Ladybug and taking off towards his home, the two laughing all the way.

* * *

            The two had arrived almost at the same time (but in the end it was Marinette that had won the race, although Adrien would argue that he let her win), and made their way into Adrien’s living room. He had an enormous sectional couch, each half of it large enough for the two to lie down. He took to the chaise-like portion, and Marinette took the actual couch part. Feeling uncharacteristically bold, she swallowed her anxiety and let her head rest on his lap. He smiled down at her, and she smiled up at him, before he started to absentmindedly play with her hair.

            “So, about that picture…” he started, looking anywhere but her face. He had been mortified that his friend had sent it, but the reward had been worth it. “I’ll be honest, Nino sent it. He knew I had it from a shoot I did a while ago, and he snatched my phone and sent it to you. Not that I regret you seeing it! I mean, it seemed like you were okay with it…” he trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Marinette just laughed at him, looking him straight in the face.

            “Oh, I was _more_ than okay with it,” she giggled, thinking about how she and Alya had spent most of their evening staring at it out of shock. However, as soon as she thought of where she had posted it, as well as the picture she had sent in return, she began to blush furiously. “I mean, I just hope that you were okay with, you know,” she trailed off too, too embarrassed to even continue. Adrien smiled, obviously _more_ than okay with his end of the deal.

            “I’m just glad you liked it enough to hang it above your bed, my lady!” He smirked, leaving Marinette to die internally. She had completely forgotten that Chat had been in her room, and had completely forgotten that the picture was in clear sight. “Have to say, I must have done especially well to earn such a prestigious spot in your room!” He laughed, but stopped when he saw the discomfort on Marinette’s face. “But, I’ll have you know, _your_ picture has being safely stowed on the underside of my pillow.”

            Marinette’s eyes widened, her blush deepening even further, if that was even possible. She just sat there in stunned silence, before relaxing and eventually laughing at her situation.

            “You know that was all Alya’s idea, right?” She questioned.

            “I figured as much. I know you too well to believe that had been your idea,” he winked at her, hands moving back to play with her hair.

            “I’m glad you enjoyed the view,” she retorted.

            “Nothing beats the real thing though,” he replied suavely. The two smiled at each other for the thousandth time. It was their best form of communication. “So, do you want to watch TV?”

            Marinette nodded, and the two paid less attention to the program and more attention to each other’s company.

* * *

            “Let’s play a game,” Adrien exclaimed. They had watched a little TV, but it wasn’t too long before Adrien got bored and the two had decided to move upstairs to Adrien’s room. Marinette looked at her boyfriend, curious as to what he had in mind.

            “What kind of game?” She questioned.

            “Strip poker?” He winked, not even able to keep a straight face in saying it. The two laughed at the ridiculous response, with Adrien all the while trying to conceal that he had been half-hoping she would say yes. “Ok, seriously, how about Twister?”

            “But I’m _so_ tired from today…” Marinette moaned.

            “Ok whiny pants, what about truth or dare?” Adrien got a mischievous look on his face. This could go one of two ways, Marinette thought. It could either get racy fast or stay PG but fun, both of which being outcomes that she didn’t mind occurring. She agreed, and the game was on.

            Marinette turned to face him, pulling her knees onto the bed and up to her chest, resting her chin on them so she could look at his face. He sat crisscross across from her, letting his knees rest slightly against her toes.

            “I’ll start,” he said confidently. “Truth or dare?”

            “Truth,” she said without hesitating. He shouldn’t get to have too much fun right off the rip.

            “Okay, how about… I know! What was the first picture you hung up of me in your room?” He was going straight for the kill, wasn’t he? Marinette had to think back, seeing as it had been over a year ago. She felt like such a stalker, being unable to pick which of the photos of him she had first hung up.

            “I think it was the first one you ever did for Vogue… but I can’t really remember which one was first…” Marinette was dying to change the subject before he made any ego-fueled comments. “Alright, my turn! Truth or dare?”

            “Dare! No question about it!” Marinette spent a long time thinking of a good dare. As much as she wanted to dare him to strip, she thought that should be saved for a little later in the game.

            “I dare you,” she started hesitantly, “to call Chloe and tell her about us.” She almost regretted it as soon as she said it, worried that it was too much to ask in such a silly game. Adrien’s face read like that was the case, but then his expression changed to that of steely determination.

            “Is it alright if I just text her? Only because it’s like midnight…” He twisted around to grab his phone off his end table before rapidly sending a text that he hoped wasn’t too mean, but still got the point across.

            To: Chloe @ 11:53 PM: I know it’s late but I wanted to clear the air- me and Marinette are a thing

            “I hope I didn’t upset her…” Adrien wondered aloud. Then he heard a snippet of a Jagged Stone song, knowing that Chloe had obviously been awake to receive the text.

            From: Chloe @ 11:54 PM: Wth?????? You picked HER over ME??????

            Adrien had barely finished reading the text when he heard saw three more texts coming in from the very angry Chloe. Not wanting to deal with it, he put his phone on silent and threw it next to him on the large bed, returning to his earlier position facing Marinette.

            “What’d she say?” She asked, genuinely curious about the reaction the news garnered from her rival.

            “She can’t believe I picked you over her,” the two rolled their eyes at the girl’s egocentrism, “but I can’t be bothered to tell her all ten thousand reasons why, so I just put my phone on silent.” He winked at her in a very Chat Noir style, and Marinette blushed. “Truth or dare, my lady?”

            “Truth!” Marinette answered strongly. Adrien sat and thought for a few beats before responding.

            “If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?” Marinette had been expecting a more provocative question, but was thankful for its simplicity. She had been enjoying where the mood of the conversation had been heading, so she picked a very cliché answer.

            “I would be with Adrien Agreste on his bed, but I doubt we would be playing truth or dare.” Marinette couldn’t make eye contact, but she could almost feel the heat radiating off of his cheeks, their redness apparent in her peripheral vision. She cleared her throat before moving on. “Truth or dare?”

            “Truth,” Adrien answered after shaking himself out of his sudden-onset daydreams.

            “Where would _you_ be, if you could be anywhere in the world?” Marinette looked at him, obviously looking to see if he would use the question in the same way she had.

            “I would be in this room with Marinette Dupain-Cheng, but I think we’d both be under the covers,” he winked, and the two went scarlet. Where were they letting this go…? “Truth or dare?” Adrien essentially choked out.

            “Truth,” she answered, a special kind of darkness falling over her features. Adrien absolutely _loved_ it.

            “What are you thinking right now?” The same darkness was slowly making its way across Adrien’s face, and it was driving Marinette _mad._

            “Exactly what you’re probably thinking.” That was more than enough answer for him. “Truth or dare?” Marinette questioned, looking into Adrien’s eyes.

            “Dare,” He replied.

            “I dare you to come closer.” He scooched closer to her slowly, gently pushing her legs out of the way so that they were only inches away from each other’s faces.

            “Truth or dare?” he asked her, barely audible.

            “Dare,” she whispered back.

            “I dare you to lay back.” Marinette felt a chill run down her spine like a racehorse. She fell back, her head coming to rest upon the plethora of pillows at the top of his bed. He leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of her waist and looking into her eyes.

            “Truth,” she was almost panting, “or dare?” She met his eyes and could see the (she couldn’t believe she was about to use this term) _lust_ that was resting there, and it stirred something primal within the abyss of her stomach. Then, to make it worse, he leaned down, letting his lips come to rest just in front of her ear, so close that she could feel his breath when he answered her question.

            “Dare me,” he breathed into her ear, and she knew exactly what he wanted her to ask him to do. At any other moment in time, she would have been either dying of excitement or embarrassment at the situation she was in, but in that moment it seemed like everything she did seemed to work. Without thinking, without hesitating, she uttered the words she had been dying to ask since she met him.

            “I dare you to kiss me.” He didn’t even wait for her to finish her sentence before his lips were on hers. He dipped his head down and grabbed her lips with his own, letting the two melt together. Marinette had, admittedly, been picturing this moment in her head, but had never imagined it would be this _incredible._ Alya had described her kisses to her as feeling like fireworks were going off in her head, but that didn’t even come close. It felt as though every fiber of her being was screaming out a different type of joyous revelation, and each and every exclamation met and melted together in her head to form a brand new, never-before-seen color that she would never be able to put into words.

            Adrien pulled away first, gasping for the breath that had escaped him during the beautiful eternity of the kiss. He still held himself above her, drinking in how her hair had splayed around her on the pillow, how her chest rose up and down with every breath, and how her shirt had been pulled down slightly during the earlier events…

            But no, Adrien thought to himself. This was Marinette he was looking at. As much as he’d like to explore what rested underneath that shirt, he didn’t want to push things too far. Unless she wanted to, then he _definitely_ wouldn’t mind helping her out, but he had to be sure.

            “How far do you want to go?” He finally asked, trying not to embarrass her with the very forward question. Thankfully, Marinette figured, she was already flushed, because otherwise she would have most certainly have gone red at the question.

            “Let’s just stay here,” she whispered to him, praying to God that she wouldn’t see any disappointment on his face. She didn’t. “But I’d really like to ‘stay here’ all night if you don’t mind.” Her words were met with the largest smile she had ever seen across Adrien’s face. He almost looked like he was about to fly through the roof with excitement.

            “I would most definitely be happy to join you ‘here’, my lady.” And with that, the two returned to their kissing, and spent the rest of the evening in bed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps Alya is too observant for her own good, because now Ladybug and Chat Noir can pray upon her curiosity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, spring break is treating me well, seeing as I'm back so soon with another chapter! This one is kind of a filler, I'll admit, but I have a big thing planned for next chapter. :) As always, I hope you enjoy, and feel free to send me suggestions for what you'd like to see the pair go through next!

* * *

            Adrien Agreste woke up the next day when the afternoon sunlight finally filtered into his room from his large windows. He had had the best night’s sleep of his life, feeling like someone had plugged brand-new batteries into his head. He was so comfortable, with his head resting on a mountain of pillows, his weight being supported by the world’s softest mattress, and his legs tangled with Marinette’s….

            Adrien froze. He was lying next to Marinette. In his bed. When did that happen?

            The previous evening suddenly flooded back into his mind. He remembered it with crystal-like clarity; the kissing, the cuddling, the comfortable conversation. He remembered Marinette texting her parents that she was spending the night at Alya’s (and giving Alya a heads-up just in case her parents called her house, which was met with some very vulgar teasing) and he recalled loaning Marinette a pair of his sweatpants and an old t-shirt to sleep in, which had looked so good on her that he was half-tempted to kiss her senseless on the spot.

            But now, in the present, Adrien rolled over so as to act as the proverbial “big spoon”, wrapping his arms around Marinette’s waist and leaning over her to kiss her temple. She gave a (adorable) half-asleep squeak that sent Adrien’s heart through the roof. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

            “Morning, m’lady,” he said softly. Marinette felt her heart skip a beat. She was lying in bed. Adrien’s bed. And she was currently acting as the proverbial “little spoon”. And he had told her good morning. But the best part out of all of it was the incredibly deep morning voice that he had used to say it.

            Marinette rolled over, carefully so as not to make Adrien take his arms away from her waist. She smiled at him before giving him a peck on the lips. “Morning, kitty.” She giggled out of sheer excitement. He smiled at her before kissing her on the forehead. Life was pretty great.

            In the perfect calm of the early afternoon, just as Marinette and Adrien were starting to _really_ enjoy their situation, the pair’s phones simultaneously erupted into a cacophony of snippets of Jagged Stone’s music. The two groaned before rolling over to retrieve the offending devices. Marinette was met with three voicemails from Alya, as well as countless texts.

            From: Alya @ 12:30 PM: OMG I CAN’T BELIEVE IT- YOU’RE SLEEPING WITH HIM!!!!

            From: Alya @ 12:31 PM: GET SOME GIRL!!!! BE SAFE AND CALL ME WHEN YOU GUYS FINISH UP!!! (but I’m sure that’ll be a while!!!) ;)

            At the same time, Adrien read the text he had just gotten from his best friend.

            From: Nino @ 12:30 PM: Alya just texted me that you managed to get Marinette into your bed. Congrats, dude! Told you that picture would be worth it!

            The couple cringed at the same time. This one would _not_ be easy to write off as a (mostly) platonic sleepover.

* * *

            After what had felt like months of trying to get Nino and Alya to stop thinking that their best friends had “hooked up”, things seemed to return to a relative level of normal for a few weeks. School got tough as the end of the year grew inevitably closer, and it seemed like Hawkmoth sent out an Akuma almost every other day. Between homework, friends, working at the bakery, spending time with her boyfriend and saving the world, Marinette had started to feel like she was starting to be stretched too thin. But only a little bit.

            What she didn’t need was for her life as Ladybug to get even more complicated than it already was.

            Sure, it had started innocently enough. Chat Noir would blow Ladybug a kiss before running off, or would get caught zoned-out and staring at her during interviews with the media, as well as other tiny gestures that hinted at what was going on behind the scenes. It was these little things that had started Alya down a dark and dangerous path.

            “I have a crazy theory,” Alya had started one day after school. The two girls were working on a history project together, but the assignment wasn’t very difficult, leaving the girls plenty of time to talk in between tasks.

            “You always do,” Marinette answered, taking a sip of tea from the mug resting on the desk next to her.

            “I think something’s changed between Chat Noir and Ladybug,” Alya continued, ignoring Marinette’s comment. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I know what’s changed. I think Ladybug and Chat Noir hooked up.” Marinette spewed her tea all over her desk. It was bad enough trying to work through a relationship privately, even harder to work through one under the prying eyes of one’s friends. But to try and deal with a relationship that spends fifty percent of its time in spandex suits, saving the world and being followed by the media? It wasn’t exactly what Marinette wanted to deal with at the moment.

            “I, uh, I doubt those two have any kind of feelings for each other,” Marinette sputtered awkwardly. “What makes you say that, anyway?”

            Alya pulled out her phone and showed it to Marinette with a flourish. The screen displayed a picture of the two standing abnormally close to one another, and what looked to be like hands held together. Fortunately, Alya had been far enough away to warrant the tightest zoom her camera could offer her, rendering the photo exceedingly pixelated.

            “They were totally holding hands. Didn’t you read my latest Ladyblog?” No, Marinette thought, she hadn’t. The post must have been made that afternoon, during which time Ladybug had been extremely busy sucking face with Chat Noir behind a pillar on a secluded rooftop.

            Without answering, Marinette opened up the Ladyblog on her computer and began to read the most recent article.

**_LADYNOIR: THE RELATIONSHIP TO SAVE US ALL?_ **

_During their past few appearances, it has been made obvious to reporters across Paris that the crime-fighting duo has undergone a serious change in mood. While their performance in saving our beloved city has not suffered or lacked in success, their interactions with each other have most certainly evolved in nature._

_To begin with, it has been noted by several publications (including this one) that the pair has been seen arriving and leaving together more and more frequently. It has been made apparent over the years that the superheroes are provided their powers by their individual Miraculous’, but with these great powers comes a limit. After using their respective special abilities (a.k.a Chat Noir’s “Cataclysm” and Ladybug’s “Lucky Charm”), the Miraculous’ have a certain amount of time before they wear off, returning the superhero to their civilian form. Because of this, the duo has rarely every stayed together for any longer than necessary, which has been hypothesized as a safety mechanism to protect each other’s identities. Even though they share the same situation, it had been apparent that they have chosen to keep their personal lives, well, personal._

_This all changed a few months ago. Suddenly, the two would arrive on scene together for almost every Akuma attack, and, upon the dispatch of the threat, would leave together, heading in the same direction. Does this mean that the long-secret identities of Ladybug and Chat Noir have finally been revealed amongst each other? Does this also imply that the citizens of Paris are one step closer to discovering the truth behind the individuals that make up Ladybug and Chat Noir?_

_As an expansion of this change in their relationship, recent photographs have suggested that this identity reveal wasn’t a fluke. In the above image (taken by yours truly), it is clear that the two have lost the definition of personal space, and it can be argued that the two are holding hands, although nothing concrete can be asserted due to the low resolution. What does this prove? As of yet, nothing for sure; however, I am suggesting that the super duo has taken the next step. Yes, loyal readers, I have brought to you the first evidence of the ship of a lifetime: the beginnings of Ladynoir._

_What does this mean for the people of Paris? Nothing, in terms of the security provided to them by the Miraculous’. However, perhaps it is time to begin the debates as to what colors the bridesmaid’s dresses will be, and what will be the name of a young vigilante-in-training._

_As always, when there is news about Ladybug and Chat Noir, you can be sure to read it here first. Alya out._

“So, what’d you think?” Marinette jumped when the voice of Alya sounded right next to her ear.

            “I don’t know Alya, they could’ve just been handing each other something, or they could’ve been, oh, I don’t know…” This was bad. Very bad. Alya then began to rattle off the hundreds of theories and hypothesis’ that she had conjured up, even mentioning a website she found where people had begun to write “fanfiction” about the pair. While she did this, Marinette picked up her phone and quickly sent a text to her boyfriend.

            To: Adrien @ 4:17 PM: Read Ladyblog ASAP

            For the next forty-five minutes, Marinette struggled to pull Alya’s mind away from the relationship between her super idols and to get her to focus on the project. They eventually finished, just in time for Alya to head out for a date with Nino. Marinette had tried to tease her, but she had been so worried about the fact that Adrien hadn’t answered her that she could barely come up with any good material.

                 As soon as Alya was out the door, Marinette transformed into Ladybug, and made off in the direction of the school.

* * *

             Adrien had never been more exhausted in his life. The last few weeks had been horrible, with him fighting to find the time to eat or sleep in between homework, friends, fencing lessons, piano lessons, Chinese lessons, photoshoots, magazine interviews, spending time with his girlfriend and, of course, saving the world almost every other day. He was just leaving his weekly fencing lesson, very upset that it had run overtime by almost a half hour. The instructor had claimed that he “couldn’t let Adrien lose out on a great learning opportunity”, which had been code for “I can’t accept losing to my student”. As he walked down the steps of the school, he thought to check his phone. Pulling it out of his back pocket, he immediately saw that he had missed a text from Marinette. He went to unlock his phone, worried that he had missed something important, when suddenly…

            A wire wrapped around his torso and pulled him up into the air. He quickly realized that he was being hoisted up onto the roof of the school. It was at this point he noticed a red and black polka-dot yo-yo hanging off of the end of the wire that held him captive.

            “Boo!” Ladybug yelled as soon as Adrien had cleared the ledge of the building’s roof.

            “Obviously I missed something very important if it warranted my rescue by the fabulous Ladybug herself,” Adrien smiled, hoping to offset any anger with humor. Luckily for him, there was no anger to offset.

            “We kind of have a problem. And by “we” I mean Chat Noir and Ladybug do.” Ladybug unwrapped her yo-yo from around Adrien before sitting crisscross on the floor of the school’s roof. “Remember all those PDA’s Chat keeps throwing into our crime-fighting escapades?”

            “Of course I do; I’ll never be able to forget your swooning expression.” He winked at her, but Ladybug was having none of it.

            “Well, Einstein, our good friend Alya has picked up on it, and has been sure to make the headlines with her newest article. What was it called again? Oh I know, _Ladynoir: The Relationship to Save Us All!_ ” Marinette slapped her forehead out of frustration. Ladyblog was the leading source of news regarding the superheroes, and whatever Alya wrote on there was taken as gospel by the people of Paris. This was an issue, seeing as people now worried more about when Chat had first given Ladybug flowers than about their own safety.

            “So what? I doubt going public with our relationship would change much,” Adrien didn’t see what was the big deal. “I mean, as long as they’re protected, who cares if they know that we’re a thing?” Marinette looked up at Adrien, who had almost no hint of concern on his face.

            “You don’t think we should try to stay private?”

            “No, but I don’t think we should go public either.” Marinette gave him a confused look, to which he offered clarification. “Do you have any idea how crazy it would drive Alya if we let acted like a couple, but never confirmed our relationship?” Adrien got the most mischievous look on his face, and Marinette soon shared it. Endless possibilities flowed through her brain, each one more successful in frustrating her best friend than the last.

            “Well, kitty, you’re in luck. I already have an idea.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't love a "strictly platonic" date meant to mess with the public?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back once again, this time with the super duo's over-the-top attempt to drive Alya mad. As always, I hope you enjoy, and as a bonus, happy belated Easter to all who celebrate!

* * *

            It was the plan of the century. They surely had captured the attention of the media, seeing as their curiosity had been building all afternoon. First, it had been civilians taking photos of Chat Noir bringing a small table up to the tiny ledge at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Then, it had been Alya filming him dragging two chairs up there behind him. Now, as he was unpacking a table cloth, a candle, and a waiter’s tray holding what the reporters assumed was a dinner for two, the entirety of Paris’s news force had set up camp at the base of the tower. This plan was so over the top, so deliciously _obvious_ that the super duo couldn’t resist it.

            Once Chat was done setting the table and lighting the candle, he stood on the edge of the platform where he had set up his masterpiece. All cameras and eyes trained on him as he made a nervous face and crossed his fingers, trying to relay a sense of anxiousness to the audience. In truth, he wasn’t nervous at all, but this evening’s whole point was to put on a good show.

            The hero jumped down the tower with his cat-like grace before making off, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, having seemingly abandoned his dinner. After a few short moments, the larger companies began to pack up, believing that the show was over, but many stayed. Alya seized the opportunity to move to the front of the lines, trying to find the best angle to record the events as they unfolded.

            Suddenly, Chat Noir returned from over the rooftops, only this time with a Ladybug in tow. The news crews that had packed up scrambled about, desperately trying to set back up. The superheroes gracefully climbed up to the platform at the top of the tower, not even winded by the effort it took. Chat Noir moved over to the side of the table where Ladybug stood, pulling a chair out for her. She sat down, and he pushed her closer to the table while she unfolded her napkin and placed it in her lap. Alya verbally squealed at the sight, all of it captured on camera.

            “Oh, Chat, you shouldn’t have done this.” Ladybug teased. It had all been planned out, from the venue all the way down to the (cheesy) red and black polka-dot table cloth.

            “Anything for my Lady,” Chat smiled, winking at her. “Do you figure _she_ can read lips?’

            “Probably, if she wants to badly enough,” Marinette answered, glancing down at the camp of reporters. “So I suppose it’s best if we stay in character.” She smiled at her boyfriend.

            “But that’s no fun for me,” he whined in return, “because Ladybug always rejects my incredibly seductive advances!” He made a fake pout, and Ladybug laughed.

            “Chat, _nobody_ accepts your advances.” The two laughed. “This is awfully romantic, though. Almost too suave to have been put together by the likes of you,” she teased.

            “Well, let’s just say I had a very lovely young lass help me in assembling such a fine event for my lady,” he chuckled. “Speaking of which, dinner is served!” With a flourish, he picked up the waiter’s tray, removing the silver lid. Inside were two lovely steak dinners, complete with baked potato and grilled asparagus, as well as a slice of chocolate cake to share. The two dug in, and continued their casual conversation. They could almost hear the excited chatter of journalists to cameras and recorders, and they _definitely_ heard a few excited screams come from the author of the Ladyblog.

            After dessert (which had been prepared perfectly by Marinette’s parents), the two stood up to leave. They exchanged farewells, with Ladybug thanking Chat for such a “lovely time”, before Ladybug began her descent from their perch. Every camera below followed her path, trained on her as she reached the rooftops adjacent to the famous tower. She stopped suddenly, turned around, and then blew a semi-teasing kiss up towards Chat Noir, then leapt off into the distance. Chat pantomimed grabbing the kiss and putting it in his pocket. He then gave the reporters below two thumbs up, before using his Cataclysm to destroy the remnants of the date and making his own way home.

* * *

            “I’m going to DIE,” Marinette gasped out, hands clutching her stomach. She was laughing so hard at what they had just done, her face nearly purple. They had returned to Adrien’s home, seeing as their sudden appearance together would have been difficult to explain to Marinette’s parents who had been led to believe that Marinette was once again over at Alya’s. They were on his living room couch, giggling like a bunch of lunatics.

            “That was the greatest idea we’ve ever had,” Adrien choked out, laughing just as hard as his girlfriend. “What do you bet that she’s already published something?” At that, the two rolled off the couch (their abdomens were sore from all the laughing) and made their way upstairs to Adrien’s room, where his computer was housed. He quickly pulled up the Ladyblog, and the two were greeted with the latest headline.

**_DINNER ABOVE PARIS_ **

            _After the complete change in atmosphere around their relationship, it is apparent that the super pair of Chat Noir and Ladybug have moved towards taking a step in a new direction. After weeks of slight (but clearly noticed) PDA’s and changes in behavior, the two took made their biggest public debut to date._

_Beginning at around 3 PM, the famous Chat Noir was spotted bringing furniture, consisting of a table and two chairs, to the top of the city’s most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower. I arrived on the scene shortly after the placement of the pieces on the uppermost platform of the tower, arranged for an apparent dinner for two. Speculations were rampant after the black cat’s disappearance into the rooftops of Paris, yet they were even more widely spread after his return shortly after. With him he brought a tray of food, a romantic candle, and, most incriminating, a red and black polka-dot table cloth._

_It was instantly clear as to who the occasion was meant; the one and only Ladybug, the better half of the crime-stopping pair. Once again, Chat Noir disappeared into the distance of surrounding Paris, only to return shortly after with “his lady” Ladybug. The two enjoyed a scrumptious-looking steak dinner, followed by a classic (and very romantic) shared slice of chocolate cake._

_Throughout the dinner (of which is displayed in the above video, in its entirety), the two made light discussion, of which I have analyzed through use of lip-reading. This technique, it should be noted, was made part of the early discussion, with reference to a particular “she” who is, as of yet, unidentified. Could “she” be a new agent of the evil Hawkmoth?_

_Another topic of interest also occurred in the beginning of the evening, with Chat Noir complaining about how his “seductive advances” seem to always be rejected. Ladybug teased him in response, obviously oblivious to his apparent desire to “advance” upon her. Yes, loyal readers, I am making this statement: Chat Noir is, most certainly, in love with Ladybug._

_Of course, it is difficult to offer concrete evidence on this topic, although the above highlighted portion of the conversation (and the evening as shown in its entirety above) is evidence enough to warrant such a conclusion. Add into the mix his extremely nervous look prior to retrieving Ladybug, as well as the sheer joy on his face and the “two thumbs up” he gave reporters after the success of the evening, and we find ourselves with one love-sick kitty._

_It is yet to be revealed if Ladybug shares these feelings with Chat Noir, yet I can nearly promise the people of Paris that this is not the last you’ve seen of Chat Noir’s attempts to woo his lady. As always, when there is news about Ladybug and Chat Noir, you can be sure to read it here first. Alya out._

“‘One love-sick kitty?’” Adrien read aloud, laughing uncontrollably once again. Marinette was dying, her abs quivering with exhaustion, yet she still found the energy to laugh as hard as she could.

            “This was the greatest decision we’ve ever made,” she finally sputtered out.

            “We have to do this again sometime,” he responded as the two came down from their hysterical high.

            “Oh, of course.” Marinette whispered, before the two began to plot out their next great scheme to tease the whole of the City of Love.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette take a new step in their relationship and meet the 'rents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So spring break has not been as calm and relaxing as I had imagined, but I still have found plenty of time to write! The super couple decides to go public with the Dupain-Cheng family, so awkwardness and embarrassment abound this chapter! As always, hope you enjoy and let me know how to improve!

* * *

           “Hey, Marinette,” Adrien greeted his girlfriend, offering her a kiss on the cheek. He was super nervous. No, scratch that, this was the most nervous he had been in his entire life. The two had met up in the park near Marinette’s house, as per his request. He had said that he wanted to take a walk with her and just spend some time together, but in actuality it was because there was something he wanted to ask her. He was petrified that she would say no or that, even worse, she would dump him for wanting to get really serious too quickly. But she wasn’t like that, was she?

            “Hi, Adrien,” his girlfriend answered sweetly. “What’s up?”

            “I, um, well, you see,” He stuttered, unsure of how to start. She searched his face for any kind of indication of what was going on. At first she had irrationally thought that he was about to dump her, but upon seeing the true fear in his eyes, she realized that he wanted to say/ask her something that he thought was really important and really risky. “We’ve kind of been, you know, _dating_ for a while,” he still couldn’t get over how good it felt to say that, “and I don’t know if I’m crazy or something but, I mean, I was wondering…” he trailed off, lost.

            “Adrien, I won’t bite. But for the record, if you’re going to ask me to marry you, I’ll have to say no, only on account of us being too young to legally get hitched,” she teased him. She smiled at him, and he met her smile (and her eyes) timidly, laughing cautiously.

            “You wish I was asking you to marry me,” he chuckled meekly. Working up his nerve, he swallowed his fear and anxiety, finally getting to the point of this meeting. “I really would like to meet your parents. As your boyfriend, I mean. Not as the weird dude who sometimes comes over to play video games.” Marinette felt her eyes open wide. Of all the things, she hadn’t expected that. She had thought he was going to confess some horrific secret, or ask for some weird favor or something, but not ask to meet her parents as _her boyfriend._

            “Oh my goodness, that’s what you were so worked up about?” He looked away, but Marinette grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Of course, I would love that. And they would too, I’m sure.” He then gave her the biggest smile, and pulled her into a tight hug before giving her a quick peck on the lips.

            “Really? You aren’t nervous?” He questioned, praying that she wouldn’t revoke her answer.

            “Of course not; they’ll love you! You’re the epitome of a gentleman!” She kissed him back, watching a slight blush wash over his cheeks due to the compliments. “In fact, as soon as we finish our walk I’ll run home ask them when they want to do it.” Adrien smiled at Marinette, and she did the same before she took his hand and the two took a leisurely walk through the park.

* * *

            “Hey. Mom, can we talk for a second?” Marinette asked her mom when she walked into the living room of their home. Her father was out on a delivery for the bakery, creating the perfect opportunity for Marinette to have a one-on-one with her mom.  

            “Of course, honey! What’s going on?” Marinette sat next to her mom on the couch as her mother muted the TV volume.

            “I have something to tell you, and something to ask.” Marinette began ominously.

            “You’re not pregnant are you? If you are, so help me God-” her mother began to stiffen and loom over her daughter, ready to murder her if that was the case.

            “No, no, no! God no, mom! This is happy news!” Her mother settled back into her seat, relief spreading across her features. “I don’t know how to say this, but- here it goes- I have a boyfriend!” Marinette made tiny jazz-hand motions in front of her, staring at her mother’s face to garner the kind of reaction she was going to give. After a few seconds, a huge smile split across her face, and an excited squeal slipped out.

            “Ooh, my baby’s all grown up! Look at you, going out there, experiencing the world!” Suddenly her face grew dark and intimidating. “There hasn’t been any funny business, has there?”

            “MOM! NO!” She exclaimed, wanting to die from embarrassment and fear. “Of course there hasn’t been any of _that,_ Adrien would never-” Her mother’s face went blank, realization slowly moving in to take its place. Marinette swore she could see the puzzle pieces locking together in her mind.

            “I knew it!” she finally exclaimed. “I knew that there had to be a reason for him to suddenly be coming over all the time!” She smiled at her daughter. “What was it you wanted to ask me, then?” Now it was time for the big kahuna.

            “Well, we’ve actually kind of been together for a few months now, and he wanted me to ask you and dad if you’d like to, you know, meet him as, well, my boyfriend. Like, do dinner or something…” she trailed off, looking at the interesting patterns of the floor beside the couch. Her mother got a mischievous look on her face.

            “How does dinner this Friday sound?” She said calmly, although Marinette knew her mind was whirring through ways to embarrass the young couple.

            “Sounds good, Mom, thank you so much!” Marinette kissed her mom on the forehead before running upstairs to text Adrien with the news.

           

* * *

            That Friday night, just twenty minutes before Adrien was supposed to leave for Marinette’s home, he found himself pacing back and forth in front of his bedroom windows. Nino lounged comfortably and calmly on his bed, watching as his friend slowly lost his mind and his cool.

            “You’re sure I look alright?” Adrien asked Nino for the thousandth time that evening. He was in a freshly-pressed black button up shirt, black slacks and a green tie.

            “Yes, dude. It’s not like her parents are going to beat you for wearing the wrong shade of green,” Nino said nonchalantly.

            “What if they don’t like me?” He questioned for the millionth time that night.

            “Of course they’ll like you. What parents don’t want their daughter dating a super-rich, super-smart supermodel?” Nino had a point there. And it’s not like he didn’t know how to conduct himself in a formal setting, even if it was just going to be the dining room of the Dupain-Cheng residence.

            Before Adrien got the chance to wear a deeper path in the floor of his room, the Gorilla (his driver) called up to his room, stating that his ride was waiting. Nino and Adrien walked out together, with Adrien being whisked away to Marinette’s and Nino making his way to Alya’s.

* * *

            By the time Adrien arrived at the bakery/home, he already thought he was going to pass out. He didn’t remember asking his legs to pull him out of the limo and up to the door, nor did he remember knocking on the door. Yet here he was, standing face to face with Marinette, who was dressed so beautifully it took his breath away. She was wearing a simple, yet elegant, red dress. It had a scoop neckline and no sleeves, baring her shoulders perfectly. It was flowy, with tiny ruffles on the hem which fell just above her knee.

            “Wow,” he whispered, unaware that we was saying anything aloud. Marinette blushed and pulled him into the house.

            “Try not to look stupefied the whole evening,” Marinette chuckled as she led him upstairs to the house-portion of the bakery. Adrien shook his head violently in an attempt to snap out of his stupor just as the two entered the dining room.

            Marinette’s mother and father were already sitting when they walked in. Her father stood as soon as they walked in, and Adrien walked up to him in order to shake his hand. He felt him giving him an intense look-over the entire time, but he tried not to think about it too much. The two shook hands, the father almost breaking Adrien’s hand. Marinette sat down on the right side of the table, and Adrien moved to sit across from her on the left. Her mother and father sat at the two heads of the table.

            “So nice of you to join us for dinner, Adrien,” Marinette’s mother started, breaking an awkward silence.

            “It was very nice of you to invite me, Mrs. Cheng,” he responded politely. Marinette smiled softly at him. “I look forward to your fabulous cooking.”

            “Oh, stop you!” Mrs. Cheng answered, smiling and waving her hands as if to wave away the compliment. “Speaking of which, I should probably check on it!” She stood up and walked into the kitchen, leaving the rest of them to sit in more silence.

            “So, Adrien,” Mr. Dupain finally said. “What do you do in your free time?” Marinette could have cut the tension with a knife. Her father was very unsure of Adrien, and Adrien was unsure of him, so the conversation was very timid and awkward.

            “Well, I spend quite a bit of time working for my father outside of school,” he answered.

            “What do you do for your father? What kind of work is it?” Mr. Dupain was stiff in his seat, obviously completely lost as to how to steer the conversation.

            “I wouldn’t exactly call it work, in the traditional sense. I’m sure you probably know of my father’s role in the fashion industry, and he asks me to model some of his clothing for local magazines and the like,” Adrien was trying his best to sound polite and well-versed, which seemed to be working as Marinette’s father relaxed slightly.

            “I see, how nice. I’m sure you can then relate to when Marinette has to help around the bakery,” he looked at his daughter kindly, who smiled at him before turning back to Adrien.   

            “I definitely can, although I’m sure Marinette works a lot harder than I do,” Adrien smiled and make eye contact with Marinette, who returned the expression.

            “How do you do in school?” Mr. Dupain questioned again.

            “I try my best and spend a lot of time studying. I think grades are really important and I try to maintain all A’s and B’s in most of my coursework, and I of course try my best to improve in my extracurricular activities.”  Mr. Dupain picked up on Adrien’s hint at his other skills, of which he took the bait and questioned him about.

            “Oh, what other activities are you involved in?”

            “Outside of school I take lessons in fencing, piano and Chinese.” He was about to expound upon these skills when Mrs. Cheng walked in with the dinner, placing a plate in front of each person.

            “That’s right! I remember Marinette telling me all about your translation skills after you helped her with my brother’s visit.” Her mother smiled at Adrien, and Marinette blushed at the mention of the conversation about Adrien’s virtues that she had had with her mother.

            “Mom, no need to bring that up again,” Marinette groaned, hoping to change the topic.

            “Nonsense, Marinette. It’s very impressive that your boyfriend is fluent in Chinese! It’s something that deserves to be noted!” Marinette wanted to crawl under the table. Adrien, on the other hand, wanted to continue to make Marinette squirm.

            “I had no idea Marinette had been so impressed by that, Mrs. Cheng. I didn’t realize she spoke so highly of me at home.” Adrien wanted to laugh so badly at the face Marinette was making. Under the table, she kicked him in the shin, and he struggled to conceal the pained expression that wanted to tear across his face.

            “Really, Adrien? She practically came home every day after school with a different story about how wonderful she found you,” Mrs. Cheng played along. “She had the biggest crush on you, so big in fact that she filled up a whole diary just writing about it!” Marinette was dying, her face becoming a beet red. This was not _at all_ how she had pictured this evening going. Thankfully, her father came to the rescue, saying that they should all begin to eat before the food got cold.

            The rest of dinner went relatively well. Adrien answered all of Marinette’s parent’s questions with ease, and the two adults grew more and more proud of their daughter’s partner as the evening progressed. After desert, Mrs. Cheng went to clean the dishes, and Marinette offered to help her. Adrien insisted that he should help as well, but Mrs. Cheng dismissed him, saying that as a guest he should just enjoy the evening. The two ladies disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Mr. Dupain and Adrien alone at the table. A few awkward moments passed before Mr. Dupain cleared his throat.

            “Now I want to make something very clear,” he muttered deeply, obviously trying to stay out of the range of the girls hearing. “There has better not to have been, and better not ever be, any funny business, understood?” Mr. Dupain sat up rigidly in his seat, leaning ominously over Adrien. “Marinette is my world, and if you do _anything_ that might upset her or hurt her or _worse,_ I will personally see to it that every bone in your face is broken into a thousand pieces. Got it, pretty boy?” Adrien gulped, suddenly _very_ afraid of Marinette’s father.

            “I would never do anything to harm her,” he started nervously. “I care very deeply for your daughter, Mr. Dupain, and I hope to do everything in my power to make her the happiest girl in the world.” Adrien actually leaned back in his seat, trying to move away from the very intimidating father.

            “Good, I’m glad that we agree,” Mr. Dupain leaned back into his seat, relaxing. “You’re a good kid, Adrien. I’m sure you’ll treat Marinette well.” Just then, the two girls returned to the dining room, obviously finished with cleaning up. They continued to have casual conversation for a few minutes, before Adrien said that he had best be heading home. Marinette offered to wait for his ride with him outside, and before they knew it Adrien had shaken the Dupain-Cheng’s hands goodbye and had made their way to sit on the steps outside the bakery’s front door.

            “That went well,” Adrien said as soon as they had sat down together. He grabbed her hand, and held it in his on top of his knee. She leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

            “It did. You did fabulously. Although I think my parents did a better job of embarrassing me than you.” She groaned, thinking about how her mother had totally betrayed what she had thought was mother-daughter confidentiality.

            “Don’t be embarrassed, Marinette. I thought it was really cute,” He smiled, rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand. She sighed contentedly, and the two sat in comfortable silence until Adrien’s ride came. As he stood up to leave, he turned to face Marinette, taking both of her hands in his, pulling her up with him.

            “Thank you for letting me meet them,” he said. “You have no idea how much this means to me.” He then gave her a quick peck on the lips before turning and leaving, being whisked off in his father’s limousine. Marinette watched him go, the blush slowly fading off of her cheeks.

            Just before she turned around to go back inside, Mr. Dupain and Mrs. Cheng closed the drapes of the window they had watched the encounter from and smiled to each other.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When there are only a few weeks left of school, who doesn't want to make plans for summer vacation?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned yet again with another update! :) I know that what you're about to read is a little far fetched (no spoilers but it would probably never happen irl, but that's what fanfic is for, right?), but I just can't resist it! I have some really cute ideas for what can happen over the pair's summer vacation, so stay tuned for those! As always, I hope you enjoy and let me know how to improve!

* * *

           The decision to introduce Adrien to Marinette’s parents had made life a little bit easier for the superheroes. While Marinette’s parents were wary of any “inappropriate behavior”, they trusted their daughter (and her boyfriend to an extent) to not doing anything they wouldn’t approve of. That being said, they had been able to spend a considerable amount of time together at each of their homes, and it had become almost an unspoken rule that they spent every Saturday night together, although under the guise of having sleepovers with their respective best friends.

            The two were looking forward to summer vacation, seeing as it was fast approaching. They only had two more weeks of school, and the hallways were filled with the quiet whispers of plans and vacations. Adrien had a lot to look forward to, seeing as his father had planned on traveling with him to their summer home in the US for two weeks. Well, it was a vacation for Adrien; his father was only taking him so that his son would be nearby while he took care of some work in the US. He was excited about the possibility to spend some time with his dad, but was even more excited for something even greater.

            It had been a few weeks earlier when his father had made a rare appearance during Adrien’s scheduled dinner time. He had walked into the room quickly, sitting down as food was immediately delivered to him. He greeted his son, not very interested in anything other than quickly finishing his meal.

            “Hi, dad. How was your day?” Adrien asked, excited about the chance to talk to his dad.

            “Fine,” his father responded quickly.

            “Can I ask you a question?” Adrien just pushed through, not wanting to waste any time. He probably only had a few minutes before his father would disappear back into his work.

            “What is it, Adrien?” He answered in between bites.

            “I know we’re planning on going to the summer house for a week after school gets out,” Adrien was worried that his father would react negatively to his question. “And I was wondering if I could ask a friend to come with?” The “friend” Adrien referred to wasn’t exactly a “friend” anymore, but what his father didn’t know couldn’t hurt him…

            “Of course, son. As long as their parents approve I really don’t mind.” And with that, Mr. Agreste stood up and walked quickly out of the dining room, leaving a very excited Adrien behind.

            Now, in the present, Adrien sat on the couch of Marinette’s living room, the two locked in an intense video game battle. This was how they often passed their Saturday’s together, with Marinette more often than not creaming Adrien. Like clockwork, Marinette finished off Adrien’s character, erupting into cheers as the “Player 1 Wins” screen was displayed on the TV. Adrien smiled, loving how happy Marinette looked.

            “I want to ask you something,” he abruptly said, pulling Marinette out of her ego-fueled victory dance. She turned to face him, smiling.

            “What’s up?” She asked.

            “Well, I’m going to the U.S. for a week in June, right after we get out of classes, and I was wondering if you’d…” he hesitated, but realized it was too late to do anything else now, “maybe like to come with me?” Marinette’s eyes widened in surprise and a gigantic smile spread from ear to ear in response to his proposal.

            “Oh my gosh, really? You want me to come with?” She was incredulous, almost thinking she was dreaming.

            “Who else would I ask to come with me?” He laughed a bit before continuing. “And why wouldn’t I want to take my beautiful girlfriend on an all-expense paid trip?” Marinette pulled him into a really tight hug, so tight that Adrien thought he was going to suffocate. She then ran downstairs, Adrien assumed, to ask her parents if she could go. This was the part that he was the most worried about. It was a really big deal, to let your daughter travel internationally with her boyfriend…

            When Marinette came back up, many moments later, she entered the room with a worried look on her face. Adrien feared the worst.

            “They said yes,” she smiled, and Adrien’s heart soared, “but only if they can talk to your dad personally.” Adrien’s heart fell out of the sky. That would _not_ be easy to arrange.

            “Alright,” he said after a few seconds, a steely determination washing over his face. “I can make that happen.” Marinette sat next to him and smiled, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She knew that it would be hard for him to make happen, but just the fact that he was willing to try sent her over the moon. She then picked her controller back up, and the two went back to their game, all the while Adrien formulating a plan.

* * *

            “Nathalie, can you connect me with my dad?” Adrien stood in the foyer of his home, where Nathalie’s desk resided. He had spent twenty minutes trying to work up the gall to go and even ask to speak to him, let alone actually talk to him.

            “For what reason? You know he’s very busy.” She answered without looking up from her computer.

            “I need to ask him a favor; something regarding our trip in June.”

            “I’m sure I could do whatever you need-” Nathalie began to say.

            “No! I need to speak with him directly.” Adrien was sure he was about to be told no. This was how conversations with Nathalie usually went, and they almost always ended in him being disappointed.

            “Alright, I’ll have him call your cellphone.” Adrien thought he had died and gone to heaven. It worked! Now all he had to do was convince his dad to call Marinette’s mom…

            Adrien ended up waiting two hours before his phone rang. It had seemed like an eternity, and he had worried that his dad would never call, but finally Jagged Stone pierced the silence of his room and he answered his phone almost instantly.

            “Hi, dad, I’ll be quick because I know you’re busy but I-invited-Marinette-to come-with-us-in-June-and-her-mom-said-she-could-go-as-long-as-she-talked-to-you-so-could-you-call-her?” His words came out all in one breath, but he knew that the longer he spoke the less likely his dad would be to comply.

            “Why do you want her to come?” His father asked as soon as he finished. He must have figured something was up if Adrien was going to such lengths to get her to join them.

            “I really want you to meet her. She’s a really nice girl and I want to spend that part of vacation with her…” It was all the truth, but Adrien was sure to omit their actual relationship status in order to avoid further questioning.

            “Alright, I’ll call her mother. E-mail me her mother’s phone number and I’ll give her a call Monday.” Adrien agreed, said goodbye and hung up the phone. He then ran a few victory laps around his room and sent his father the phone number.

* * *

            That Monday, Adrien found time in between his piano and Chinese lessons to meet Marinette at her house to learn how their parent’s phone calls had gone. Adrien raced there from his lesson and was greeted by Marinette on her front stoop. She put her index finger to her lips, telling him to be quiet as they filed into the bakery.

            “Of course, but I insist, we would be more than happy to reimburse you for Marinette’s airfare” Mrs. Cheng spoke into the receiver of her phone, obviously on the phone with Mr. Agreste. Adrien and Marinette froze, straining to listen to the conversation. Of course they couldn’t hear what Mr. Agreste was saying, but they tried to discern what was happening based on Mrs. Cheng’s responses.

            “Are you sure?”

            “Well, if you insist…”

            “How long will you be gone for?”  
            “You’re sure they’ll be supervised?”

            “Alright, thank you Mr. Agreste, I’m sure she’ll be very happy with my decision.” Marinette and Adrien looked at each other, smiling like they had gotten away with murder. Mrs. Cheng then turned to them and gave them a thumbs up, winking. Both kids blushed before erupting into frenzied cheers, Adrien lifting Marinette by the waste and twirling her around, the pair laughing hysterically.

            Now they just had to get through two tortuously long weeks of school.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flights to the US are fun, aren't they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright y'all, the super duo is finally making their way to the US! It's kind of a short chapter, but it'll get the pair to where they need to be for their vacation! Also, as a note, I've never been on an international flight so I have no idea how that works, but hopefully my imagination is somewhat realistic. As always, I hope you enjoy!

           

* * *

            The day had come.     

            Marinette had spent hours the night before packing and unpacking her bags. She had tried to think of anything and everything she would need. Shorts, skirts, tank tops, bathing suit, dresses, sandals- you name it, Marinette had packed it. Her mother had, of course, helped her by giving her a list, but the true MVP had been Alya, who had spent the night at Marinette’s house. She had approved and vetoed every outfit she had packed, every necklace she had chosen, and had made sure to force Marinette into packing her skimpiest bikini. She also had spent every waking moment in between packing items to coach her best friend on how best to toy with Adrien, and Marinette had to admit that some of her ideas and plans sounded like they might actually work. They had made sure to share a nearly tearful goodbye the next afternoon, and Alya made Marinette promise to send her pics and updates every night.

            Now, Marinette stood on the stoop of the bakery, hugging her mom and dad as she waited for Adrien to come and pick her up. Her mom was going over everything she had brought; she wanted to be sure nothing was forgotten. Her dad kept looking up the street for any signs of the boy that was to whisk his daughter away to a foreign country.

            After an eternity, the white limousine appeared in front of the bakery, and the driver got out, putting Marinette’s luggage in the trunk. Marinette stopped to say goodbye to her mom, and Mr. Dupain approached the open limo door.

            “Hello, Adrien.” He greeted intimidatingly, being sure to block any view of Marinette with his body.

            “Hello, Mr. Dupain,” Adrien returned nervously.

            “I’m letting you and your father take my baby out of the country,” he began gruffly, “and if she comes back with so much as one hair out of place or _worse,_ I will make sure you’re your existence is erased from this world and the next. Understood?’ Adrien gulped and looked anxiously up at the frightening father.

            “Of course, sir, I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe and well cared for.” Mr. Dupain shot Adrien a long-held death glare before returning his expression to that of a kind dad.

            “I’m so glad we could reach this understanding, Adrien. I hope you two have a lovely trip!” Marinette’s father then returned to where his family stood on the sidewalk, giving his daughter a long goodbye hug and wishing her safe travels. Finally, Marinette gave both her parent’s one last kiss on the cheek before getting into the back of the limo. She gave one last little wave to her parents before the driver closed the door and she was on her way to the airport.

            “Are you going to miss them a lot?” Adrien asked her as she slid into the seat next to him, still a little on edge after yet another encounter with Mr. Dupain.

            “Yeah, but I’m sure they’ll be fine…” She trailed off. “I’m just more concerned about if Paris will be alright without us.” Adrien knew exactly what she was referring to- they had never both been away from the city at the same time.

            “It’ll be fine, Marinette. A little black cat told me that he sensed Hawkmoth leave Paris the other day.” He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze to comfort her. She rested her head on his shoulder in response.

            “Yeah, I heard the same thing from a ladybug,” she smiled, her anxiety dying down. Tikki had felt the same shift in Miraculous energy as Plagg apparently had. “Say, where’s your dad? He’s still coming with, right?”

            “Oh, he left the other day to do some business stuff, but he’s going to meet us there.” Adrien replied, enjoying the ride to the airport. Marinette snuggled into him just a little bit more, and the two continued a casual conversation all the way through security.

            When they reached their gate, they had a few minutes until they could board, so the pair stopped in a store to buy some magazines and some gum (two of the most essential in-flight items). They checked out quickly and made their way back to the gate just in time for boarding. Marinette was excited to learn that the two were flying first-class, seeing as Mr. Agreste had insisted that “his son’s guest flies in style”. They found their seats and settled in.

            “Have you ever flown before?” Adrien asked Marinette as the rest of the passengers boarded the plane.

            “No, I’ve never flown within France, let alone internationally.” She replied honestly. In actuality, Marinette was terrified. She had no idea what to expect or how to behave on a flight, let alone a twelve-hour one.

            “It’s ok,” Adrien whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine. “If my lady can fly above the streets of Paris as Ladybug, she definitely can handle a plane.” Marinette blushed, comforted by his words. That was the moment the engines roared to life, and the flight attendants began their speech about how to use the life preservers and the oxygen masks. The pair buckled up; or rather Adrien buckled and then had to help a fumbling Marinette with hers.

            Moments later, they were about to take off. Adrien grabbed Marinette’s hand and she squeezed tight. The plane lurched forward, gaining more and more speed until they were in the air, flying above the city that the two worked so hard to protect. Marinette had taken the window seat and was in awe of all the lights below them, while Adrien just used the time to study her features and how infatuation looked on them.

            They were served dinner, and after a little while the cabin lights went out. The two leaned in on each other and curled up, asleep.

* * *

            Marinette woke up about three hours before they were scheduled to land. Adrien was already awake when she opened her eyes, and he smiled at her before planting a kiss on her forehead.

            “Morning, my lady,” he whispered, the morning voice strong in his words.

            They turned on a movie on Adrien’s laptop, trying to kill time, all the while excitement building in Marinette as they got closer to being in the US. Breakfast was served at what would ordinarily be 11 PM Paris time. They weren’t very hungry, but ate anyway, not wanting to be starving once they landed. After what felt like years, the pilot made the announcement that they would be touching down at LAX in about twenty minutes.

            Landing and customs were uneventful. Marinette had crushed Adrien’s hand during landing, but they two survived to exit into the sunny airport that was Los Angeles International Airport.  They retrieved their luggage from the baggage claim, only to be greeted by what Marinette swore was a younger version of the Parisian limo driver who had picked her up at home. He took their bags and settled them into the car before being driven to Adrien’s summer home.

            “What do you think of L.A. so far?” He asked her as they rode along.

            “Well, it’s a little bright for 2 AM,” the two chuckled. “It’s really warm though, which is a really nice change of pace!” She smiled at him, and he at her. Marinette then assigned herself to looking out the window of the limo, drinking in the palm trees and shorts-clad people. After a rather short ride, the two arrived at their destination, and Marinette all but climbed over Adrien to see where she would be spending the next two weeks.

            Her jaw hit the floor once she laid eyes on it. It was a huge modern-style mansion, with almost every wall covered in floor-to-ceiling windows. It was two stories and it stretched for what seemed like miles, its beige walls blending in with the surrounding environment. The front featured lush gardens and a generous fountain, and a beautiful winding path up to the front door. It was paradise in a house, and Marinette was lucky enough to be staying there.

            “Sometimes it’s nice to be the son of Gabriel Agreste,” Adrien said from behind Marinette. The driver walked past them with their bags, and Adrien walked up to her from behind, wrapping an arm around her waist. “So, are you tired? Or do you want to do something?”

            “I think,” Marinette began, still drinking in the beautiful home, “that I want to play hide-and-seek in that house.” Adrien laughed and before she knew it, he was counting to twenty.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette enjoy some poolside fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive!! School has gotten pretty crazy over the last few weeks, and will probably be rough for a little while longer, but I hope to keep writing when I can! Anyway, here's a brand new chapter, and I hope you enjoy!

* * *

            The next morning, Marinette woke up jetlagged. Although the clock read 10 AM, she felt like it was 7 PM. She had fallen asleep after only a little while of hide-and-seek, essentially passing out as soon as she had found where her bedroom was. Now, not wanting to waste a single minute of her vacation, Marinette forced herself out of bed and into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She was still half-asleep as she walked in, absentmindedly grabbing her toiletry bag along the way. She made her way to the vanity, pulled out her toothbrush and began to scrub her teeth clean.

            Adrien had woken up jetlagged as well although he had, through experience, learned to push beyond it and start his day. He had gotten up at around 9:30, deciding to take a shower to help him wake up. He had grabbed his wash bag and a towel before making his way into the bathroom, particularly into the separate room where the shower was housed. He followed his usual routine (shampoo, lather, rinse, condition, rinse), but spent a few extra minutes just enjoying the warmth of the water. Eventually, he hopped out of the shower, squeaky-clean and ready for his day. He haphazardly wrapped a towel around his lower half, grabbed his bag, and made his way to the vanity area.

            When he came out the door of the shower room, he was greeted by the sight of a half-asleep, oblivious-to-his-presence Marinette, who was brushing her teeth unenthusiastically. She apparently hadn’t recalled that they shared a Jack-and-Jill style bathroom.

            “Good morning, my lady,” he called out to her, leaning against the frame of the shower room door. He watched as she stiffened, suddenly standing up straight and looking behind her in the mirror at his image. She whipped around, toothbrush still hanging out of her mouth, a furious blush flying across her cheeks.

            “Ohgmyhghod, imshoshorry!” She sputtered out beyond her full mouth. She had never seen a more God-like sight. His hair was slicked back beautifully, water droplets gently cascading over the muscles of his chest and arms. They rolled lower and lower, only to be caught by the towel that rested just barely above his-

            Marinette simultaneously wanted to die of embarrassment and rip that towel right off of him.

            “It’s alright, my lady. I totally get that you couldn’t resist the view,” he teased, winking at her before setting his things next to the second sink of the vanity. “I’m glad you’re up early though, wouldn’t want to miss any vacation time with my beautiful princess.” He didn’t have to look at her to sense the near-purple blush on her face. She (gracefully) spit out the toothpaste in her mouth and rinsed, staring the entire time at his reflection in the mirror.

            “I’m not even going to deny that I like this,” she finally said, grabbing her face wash out of her bag. “Should I plan on returning the favor tomorrow?” Adrien took her teasing in stride, offering her a wink in the mirror.

            “Now I have something to look forward to tomorrow!” He laughed, putting toothpaste on his toothbrush. The two got ready in semi-tense conditions, with Marinette unable to help herself from staring at Adrien while he went about his routine. Marinette washed her face and put on a tiny bit of tinted moisturizer (complete with SPF 70!) and some waterproof mascara; Adrien washed his face and shaved (he had to shave??? When did that happen???). Before long, the two were ready to get dressed.

            “What should I dress for, my lady?” He asked, wanting to let her decide the itinerary for the day.

            “Hm, I would assume there’s a rather large pool in the back of this place?” Adrien nodded yes. “Would you care to just spend a day being jetlagged by the poolside?” Adrien agreed wholeheartedly to the idea, and the two went to their respective rooms to get dressed.

            Marinette adorned the skimpy bikini Alya had forced her to pack, and over it put on a loose-fitting floral sundress. To accessorize, she put on a large white floppy hat of her own design, as well as some basic black flip-flops and a brown, woven beach bag. She made sure to bring her phone, a towel and some sunscreen with her before saying goodbye to a very sleepy Tikki; Marinette and Adrien had brought their Kwami’s for fear of something happening to them if they were left in Paris.

            Adrien adorned his black swim trunks, and his usual t-shirt, minus the white-button up that usually went over it. He pulled on some black sandals and threw his phone in his pocket and grabbed a towel before making his way into the hallway to meet up with Marinette.

            He offered his arm to her, and she gladly wrapped her arm around it. They made their way downstairs and out the large sliding glass door that lead to the patio in the back. It was the most beautiful pool Marinette had ever seen. The water was a beautiful blue, and the bottom of the pool had an incredible mosaic of a butterfly. It almost looked like a waterpark, with a huge diving board and a waterfall feature. The entire thing was surrounded by beautiful lounge chairs and umbrellas, as well as elaborate gardens and palm trees. It was everything Marinette had imagined LA would have to offer, except perhaps for the rather intimidating looking woman sitting in the corner of the yard, staring angrily at the two. Marinette, realizing she was probably some kind of hired chaperone, pushed the woman out of her thoughts, although it was quite difficult to forget the eyes that were burning a hole in the back of her head.

            They set their belongings off on two lounge chairs, and Marinette pulled off her sundress. Adrien couldn’t pull his eyes off of her as she pulled it over her head, revealing the most appealing swimsuit he had ever seen in his life. It had a red halter top piece and black bottoms. Adrien was almost drooling as he watched Marinette raise her arms over her head with the dress, every muscle moving slightly with the motion.

            “Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” Marinette teased when she caught her boyfriend staring. He shook his head, snapping out of it before pulling his shirt over his head and kicking off his sandals.

            “Last one in’s a rotten egg!” He screamed before the two spun on a dime and raced to the pool. It was impossible to tell who had been the rotten egg, seeing as they both rose out of the water almost at the same time. The pair laughed, and spent the larger part of their morning splashing each other and having a cannonball contest off of the diving board.

* * *

            Lunch was served pool-side by one of Adrien’s father’s workers, which was some of the finest food Marinette had ever eaten. The two had retreated to the lounge chairs after what was almost an hour of swimming, although they planned on swimming more after their lunch was digested. While they waited, Adrien went upstairs to retrieve his laptop and to grab a magazine for Marinette. When he returned, his girlfriend was stood next to her lounge chair, putting more sunscreen on. She rubbed it up and down her smooth arms and long legs, even smearing some around her soft abdomen. Adrien, once again, couldn’t help but stare at the sight as he walked back over to her.

            “Can you help me really quick?” She asked him, handing him the bottle of sunblock. “Could you do my back? I don’t want to burn!” She smiled, knowing _exactly_ what was happening. During Alya’s “I’m-going-to-help-you-pack-so-you-don’t-bring-all-the-wrong-things” session, she had told Marinette that his was a sure-fire way to drive him mad. And, for once, her best friend had been right.

            “Um, yeah, of course,” he cleared his throat. “It would be my pleasure.” He had regained just enough composure to reply suavely, but not enough to actually perform the task. He took the bottle from her and squeezed some sunblock into his hand before setting the bottle down on the chair behind him. He rubbed his hands together for a little bit, hesitating, before he started to rub them across her back and shoulders. Her skin was incredibly soft under his hands, and the red top of her bikini looked _amazing_ against her skin. As he did so, Marinette tried not to pay attention to the scowl of the chaperone in the corner, focusing more on enjoying that Alya’s plan was working. Not paying attention himself, Adrien brushed his hand against the tie that held the top on Marinette’s body, and she shivered slightly. Goosebumps ran up her arms, and terror ran down his spine.

            “Oops, sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He rambled nervously.

            “I know, it’s nearly impossible to avoid a Freudian slip,” she smiled, a very Chat-like grin adorned on her face. Adrien blushed furiously.

            “Hey, I can’t help some things,” he responded, channeling every ounce of his alter-ego that he could just to say it with a relatively normal face. Marinette giggled and when he finished, laid on her stomach on the chair and began to read her magazine. Adrien dove back into the world that was his laptop, and the two enjoyed comfortable silence while they waited to go back to swimming.

* * *

            The two didn’t venture back inside until it was dark out. They had spent the rest afternoon swimming and splashing and goofing around, and then as the sun was setting moved back to the patio to watch the gorgeous display of colors. It was quite romantic, both had thought, to be sitting in a foreign country with their significant other, watching a beautiful sunset until it disappeared behind the horizon.

            So, naturally, they had teased and play-wrestled each other the entire time to compensate for the cheesiness.

            As the darkness slowly consumed the outside world, the two had retreated into the house, making their way back up to their bedrooms. The two decided it would be best to give a call to their parents and friends, letting them know that they hadn’t been murdered by some kind of American gang.

            Marinette called her parent’s home, and her mother answered. Although it was around 8 o’clock in the evening where she was, Marinette realized that it was around 5 o’clock in the morning back home. Thankfully, she hadn’t woken her parents up because they were already working to open the bakery for business, and she quickly filled them in on what was going on before letting them get back to work. She felt kind of bad for not being around to help them, but then she reasoned that everyone deserves a vacation once in a while, right?

            The next name on the list for people to call was Alya. She had promised to keep her in the loop, so she called her without hesitation.

            “Do you have any idea what time it is, Marinette?” A low, very grumpy voice answered the phone. Obviously Alya was _not_ a morning person.

            “But I thought you wanted to be kept up-to-date on how my little vacation was going?” Marinette answered back, giggling internally at how miffed Alya sounded. But hey, if she wanted to know what was going on, she shouldn’t have forgotten about the time difference.

            “Yeah, yeah, fill me in quick so I can get back to my dream about Nino and me getting _freaky_.” Marinette made a gagging noise into the phone, _very_ uncomfortable with this new bit of information.

            “Gross, dude, just gross,” Marinette whined, trying to clear her head of all the terrible mental images that had flooded it. “Well, for starters, I may or may not have accidentally walked in on him while he was showering.” Marinette heard Alya gasp, and she swore that she knew that Alya had sat up straight at the news. It just seemed like something she would do.

            “NO. FREAKING. WAY!!!!” She screamed into the phone, effectively breaking Marinette’s eardrum. “How did that happen? What did he do? What did _you_ do?”

            “Well, I was really jetlagged and wasn’t paying any attention to the fact that the bathroom in my room is attached to his room too,” Marinette blushed again from embarrassment. “But I didn’t like _actually_ walk in on him; the shower is in a separate little room. But when he came out he was in nothing but-” Marinette whispered the end of her sentence, “ _a towel.”_

Alya screamed, not even trying to avoid waking up her large family. “Good for you girl! Way to get a piece of the action on your first day! Maybe by the end of the week you two will get down to doing the-” Marinette cut her off.           

            “No! Alya, my God, don’t you think that’s a little much?” Alya just dissolved into excited giggles, and Marinette eventually followed suit. It was hard not to laugh when Alya was laughing this hard. Once they calmed down, Marinette continued. “Although I did agree to ‘return the favor’ tomorrow morning,” Marinette actually felt Alya freeze in shock.

            “You did not,” she whispered.

            “I did,” Marinette answered back.

            “Girl, you are _so_ getting some this week. At least, if you want it,” Alya said confidently, very sure that she knew how things were going in her best friends relationship.

            “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Marinette didn’t feel like arguing otherwise with her stubborn friend. “In other news, I executed your plan this afternoon.”

            “Did it work?” Alya had coached Marinette for almost the entire time that she had helped her pack. She hoped that it wasn’t all in vain.

            “Of course! You should’ve seen his face; he didn’t know what to do!” The two girls once again giggled wildly, but not for as long as before. “He was totally flustered, and then he accidentally brushed the clasp of my top and I thought he was literally going to pass out,” Alya was roaring on the other end, picturing a very uncool, unprepared Adrien Agreste trying not to seem like a dork as he applied sunscreen to his girlfriend’s back.

            “You’re doing great, Marinette,” Alya finally said after dying of laughter. “Make sure you keep me in the loop!”

            “Will do, Alya. Thanks for your advice!” Marinette hung up the call, about to make her way over to Adrien’s room when the door to her room opened. It was the chaperone from pool, and she obviously meant business.

            “I understand that you and Adrien are engaged in some type of relationship,” she spoke harshly, not leaving any room for Marinette to interrupt. “But I will have it known that until I am assured that Mr. Agreste is aware of this relationship and approves of it, you had best not be on the other side of Adrien’s door after midnight, unless you would like to learn the consequences.”

            Before Marinette could defend herself or even say anything, the woman was backing out of the doorway, pantomiming with two fingers that she would be watching Marinette like a hawk. Then the door shut, and Marinette felt slightly less alone than she had earlier.

            “That was weird,” she whispered to herself.

            “Sure was,” she heard Tikki yell from her spot on the corner of the bed.

* * *

             “Dude, you let her walk in on you?” Nino asked incredulously. While Marinette called her parents, Adrien thought it would be a good idea to check in with Nino and fill him in on the details. Deep down, however, Adrien knew he had called to receive some kind of validation that he wasn’t completely botching this vacation already.

            “Yeah, I just played it cool and it totally worked,” Adrien answered. “Although that all went out the window when she asked me to put sunscreen on her back…” Adrien lamented his botched attempt to play it cool. He had been the very definition of uncool in that moment, as a matter of fact.

            “Man, she even asked you to put sunscreen on her back? She seriously wants some,” Nino was not one to offer much comfort in these situations.

            “Nino, no! That’s not something we do…” Adrien went from feeling sorry for himself to wanting to die in two seconds flat. He was supposed to feel comforted, not uncomfortable.

            “But it _could_ be, dude! You just have to seize the opportunity!” Listening to Nino, one would think being in a relationship was as easy as ordering one online. 

            “Alright, alright, you’ve made your point. I guess I’ll just have to keep you updated,” Adrien wanted to be off the phone soon in case Marinette was already finished with her phone call.

            “You better and good luck dude!” Nino signed off, hanging up quickly. Adrien just sat on the edge of his bed, thinking about how crazy and magical their first day had been.

            “I’m going to need it, Nino.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S: I'm starting to run out of ideas a little bit, so if you have any requests/suggestions please let me know! :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette share a magical day at Disneyland.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive! Life has been completely nuts over the last few weeks and I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in so long, but I finally have a computer and an internet connection! In terms of this chapter, the two love birds do things that most teenage couples do, and I wasn't quite sure if it came too close to the far side of the "teen" rating. Please let me know if you think it needs to be bumped up and keep leaving suggestions for future chapters! As always, thanks so much for reading and commenting!

           

* * *

           The next four days, for the most part, went off without a hitch. The two visited a few beaches, went shopping in downtown LA, and visited a few tourist sites along the way. It had been action packed, but the couple had still found enough down time to feel relaxed and rejuvenated. The entire time Marinette had been aware of the dark figure watching them from the shadows, but she decided it wasn’t something that she would let ruin her fairytale vacation with her boyfriend.

            That Friday, the two woke up as they usually did. They got ready simultaneously in the bathroom, separated to get dressed, and then walked downstairs together to start the day. They had decided to spend the day in the most magical place on earth, the one and only Disneyland.

            Marinette, surprisingly, had never been. Despite having lived so close to Disneyland Paris all her life, her family had never made the time to visit it. But now, finally getting the chance to go and experience it, especially with Adrien Agreste of all people, she found herself almost physically vibrating with excitement. She had packed especially for this occasion, wearing her most favorite (comfortable) pink sundress, a relatively large cross-body bag for stashing souvenirs in, and her comfiest sandals.  Grabbing her sunglasses, wallet, phone and of course Tikki (who had been dying to go with), she made her way out into the hall to meet up with Adrien.

            “Ready, my lady?” He asked, offering her his arm like he always did.

            “Oh my God, _yes!_ ” Marinette could barely contain her excitement. She had grown up with Disney, knowing every movie and song by heart. And now she was _going to freakin’ Disneyland!_

The two strode out of the house hurriedly, practically jumping into the limo before being whisked away to their newest adventure. They soon reached the magical amusement park and they were happy to find that they quickly got in. Marinette was caught in wonder as she took in the sights and sounds of Main Street, U.S.A, drinking in all the colors and buildings and people who were bustling about. It was so stimulating that she forgot about the chaperone who was hanging back by about thirty feet but constantly analyzing them for any “funny business”. Out of everything that assaulted Marinette’s senses, however, the most captivating part was the giant castle at the end of the road; it was massive, and its beauty was something that nearly brought tears to Marinette’s eyes. She had grabbed Adrien’s arm excitedly, almost like a small child, pointing and babbling enthusiastically at the real-life embodiment of her childhood. Adrien just smiled, moving Marinette’s arm off of his in favor of taking her hand instead. Marinette nearly dragged him to the base of castle, taking photos with her other hand. Adrien just smiled at her, her child-like behavior pulling on his heartstrings.

            The two spent the day touring nearly the entire park, stopping occasionally to buy snacks or something to drink. Marinette had pulled Adrien into a souvenir shop and they had bought Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears, adorning them proudly for the rest of their day. They had taken a few rides, but the majority of the day had been spent touring the shops and restaurants, just enjoying the magical atmosphere of the park. They had stopped to watch street performers and the parade, but the most anticipated event of the evening was fast approaching. The sun was setting rapidly, and the pair had found their way back onto Main Street for the fireworks display. They had gotten a great spot where they could see the castle perfectly, as well as the surrounding buildings.

            After a short wait and some conversation, the fireworks began, and Marinette was in awe. They were the greatest fireworks she had ever laid eyes on; they were colorful, elaborate, and drew incredible images in the sky. She found herself standing on her tippy-toes, trying to see everything at once as she switched from looking at the projections on the buildings to the fireworks high above her.

            “Want a lift?” Adrien gently bumped her shoulder, pointing to his own with his hands.

            “Are you sure? I don’t want to hurt you!” Marinette answered, really hoping he would say yes so that she could get an even better view.

            “Of course, do you really think you could hurt the incredible Chat Noir?” He whispered to her, before crouching down so that she could hop on his shoulders. She jumped up eagerly, and Adrien lifted her up with ease. Now, high above the crowd, Marinette had a panoramic view of the entire event, and she actually began to cry, just a little bit, out of sheer happiness. This had been the most magical day of her life, no, scratch that, the most magical _week_ of her life, and she had spent it all with her beloved boyfriend. Life, she decided, could never get any better than this moment.

            They watched the display until it finished before Adrien crouched down once again to let Marinette hop off. He then took her hand in his and they walked out of the park together, smiling like a couple of dopes.

* * *

            When they finally returned home, the two walked into the house hand in hand, shoulder-to-shoulder and made their way into the living room to watch some TV. When they entered the room, however, they were greeted by the sight of Gabriel Agreste sitting in a chair by the fireplace.

            “Oh, hi Dad,” Adrien said, pulling Marinette over to the couch to sit down.

            “Hello, son. I see your friend was able to join us this week,” he nodded his head slightly towards Marinette, who smiled in return. “What is your name, my dear?”

            “I’m Marinette, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You spoke to my mother a few weeks ago after Adrien had invited me to join you on this wonderful vacation.” Marinette spoke formally, wanting to impress Adrien’s father. She had known that sooner or later she would meet him, especially when she was staying in his vacation home, but she had hoped to have gotten a little more of an advanced warning.

            “Ah, yes, your mother was a kind lady. Are you enjoying the States?” Mr. Agreste appeared to be judging Marinette harshly, scanning her up and down with slightly narrowed eyes.

            “Of course, it was so kind of you to allow me to come with Adrien this week.”

            “I’m glad. Now Adrien, when were you going to tell me that you had a girlfriend?” Despite not being around much, Gabriel was still Adrien’s father, and was slightly disappointed that he had missed out on the news.

            “Oh, well, you see,” Adrien began to rub the back of his neck anxiously, a blush forming across his cheeks. “I just, haven’t had the chance to tell you. But I’m really glad that you’ve gotten the chance to meet Marinette!” Adrien answered excitedly and was outrageously happy that his father had finally met his girlfriend just as he had met her parents.

            “I’m glad, too. Well, I must return to my work, but I hope you two continue to enjoy yourselves for the rest of the week. I won’t be flying back to Paris until a week after you have, Adrien. It was nice to meet you, Marinette.” Mr. Agreste stood up to leave, once again nodding in acknowledgement to Marinette. As he reached the doorway, he turned slightly to add: “And please be safe, we wouldn’t want any,” he paused, trying to think of the most delicate phrasing he could, “ _happy accidents,_ now would we?” And with that, he left, leaving a scarlet Marinette and Adrien on the couch.

* * *

            After watching some TV, the couple had made their way upstairs, finding themselves strewn across Adrien’s bed in a comfortable conversation. The two had already changed into their pajamas and had called their respective friends/parents, and Tikki and Plagg were in the corner chatting amongst themselves.

            “Did you have fun today, my lady?” Adrien asked after a lull in the conversation.

            “No,” Marinette said, causing Adrien to sit up and look at her. “I had more than fun; today was absolutely _magical._ ” Adrien sighed in relief before laughing along with Marinette. “This whole week has been absolutely incredible, Adrien. I won’t ever be able to do anything this nice for you,” she added, trying to show just how appreciative she was of everything he had done for her that week.

            “Just by being my lady you’ve already done more than a silly vacation ever could,” he retorted, sitting up and crisscross so as to face her directly. She did the same, and soon the two were sitting face-to-face. “You’ve made this vacation the most incredible one I’ve ever had.” Marinette blushed, smiling at his compliment.

            “You’re being too nice,” she responded. “I just wish I could do more for you like you’ve done for me.” She looked away, but Adrien put a finger under her chin and gently pulled her face back towards him.

            “You’ve made my entire world a brighter place, Marinette.” She blushed, looking down. “And for that, I am eternally grateful. If it weren’t for you, I’d be some lonely kid sitting in Paris without anything to do. Because I have you, I’ve not only become Chat Noir, the kick-ass superhero that saves Paris, but I’ve also become one of the happiest people alive. No question about it.” Marinette looked up into his eyes and he smiled at her, pulling a smile out of her, too.

            “You make me happy too, Adrien. More than I could ever describe,” she said, starting to glance down at his lips. “I will say though, there’s only one thing that would make me happier,” she added, a small smirk starting to tug at the edges of her own lips.

            “And what would that be, my lady?” He smirked, glancing down at her lips as well.

            “If you’d just kiss me already,” she smiled, beginning to lean in.

            “Gladly,” he whispered, before capturing her lips with his. It started as a slow kiss, but quickly gained momentum as they lips moved faster and faster against each other. Marinette, against her usual anxious judgement, boldly tugged on Adrien’s lower lip, eliciting a (sexy) grunt from him. He then cautiously ran his tongue along her bottom lip, to which she gladly opened her mouth. Soon the two were carefully moving their tongues towards the other, until they gingerly touched in the center. As they continued, they got more and more confident, until eventually they were fully exploring each other’s mouths.

            As all of this was happening, Adrien had carefully moved so as to be leaning slightly over Marinette, until he finally began to gently push her onto her back. Marinette obliged, laying back onto the bed and allowing him to move on top of her. He placed his hands on her hips, gently rubbing up and down over her pajama top. Marinette did the same, playing with the edges of his t-shirt. Finally the two broke apart for air and looked at each other.

            “Stay here?” Marinette asked and looked at Adrien, who was panting heavily above her.

            “If you’re comfortable, I wouldn’t mind to lose the shirts,” he teased breathlessly, shooting her a wink as he said it. He was fully expecting to be told off, only having meant it as a joke, but then-

            “If you can keep it to _only_ the shirt, I’d be more than happy to keep things moving,” she winked at him, and Adrien thought he had died and gone to heaven.

            “ _Deal_ ” he all but yelled as he once again took her lips with his. They resumed right where they had left off, her toying with the edge of his shirt and him rubbing her sides, except this time he slowly started to let his hands dive _underneath_ the top, and she slowly allowed her fingers to move beneath the edge of his shirt. The next thing he knew, she was slowly pulling it up, eventually breaking away so he would sit up and let her pull it off his arms. He complied, and the two sat up, him raising his arms above his head as she pulled the shirt off of him.

            She gave him an once-over, her head spinning as she drank in every detail. He as _definitely_ muscular, and there was _no way_ any damn picture would _ever_ do those abs justice. She leaned forward again to kiss him, slowly pulling him back to the position they held before, only this time letting her hands move up and down his sides, her thumbs brushing along the muscles of his abdomen. He let out a quiet groan and threw caution to the wind, letting his hands move completely under her top. They moved from the top of her hips to her stomach, and from her stomach up to her sides, closer to her ribcage. He was caught off-guard when he felt the edges of her bra, almost jumping when it brushed against his fingers. He broke away, staring down at the girl beneath him.

            “Ok, my turn,” he confidently said before beginning to unbutton the pajama top, her sitting up to help aid the process. It hadn’t dawned on him at the time, but it was the same one that she had worn in the picture she had sent him, and now he was finally getting his wish of seeing her _without_ it. After some awkward struggling, the last button was unhooked, and her upper-half was revealed. Adrien was having a very difficult time controlling _certain aspects_ of his body, but he was the most concerned with memorizing the image in front of him.

            She was wearing a lacy black bra that perfectly accentuated her, well, assets. It served as an amazing contrast to her creamy, slightly-tanned skin, and every inch of her screamed for him to touch it.

            “Time’s up, now it’s _my_ turn,” suddenly Marinette was pushing Adrien onto his back. She had been emboldened by the atmosphere, and she daringly threw a leg over him so that she was gently resting on his stomach. Adrien just stared at her in both lust and shock, absorbing the sight of his girlfriend on top of him, shirt half-off. Knowing that she had his full attention, she made a small show of slowly letting the pajama top slide of her shoulders before resting her hands on his chest and leaning down, placing her mouth next to his ear.

            Before he could compute what was happening, she was kissing his earlobe, and he couldn’t help but let out a low moan. Marinette felt chills run down her spine at that, and she knew she was doing a good job. She kissed from his earlobe all the way down his neck onto his shoulder, making her way towards his chest. The entire time Adrien just explored her bare skin, running his hands anywhere and everywhere that wasn’t covered by fabric.

            After a few minutes like that, Adrien grabbed Marinette’s hips and flipped her back over, giving her the same treatment as she had just given him. He started at her ear and moved down her neck, but stopped at her shoulder. He then moved back up towards her ear.

            “You’re not meeting anyone important for the next few days, are you?” He whispered, sending chills down Marinette’s spine.

            “No,” she panted. “Why?”

            “Good,” he whispered in response. “I want to try something.” And with that, he returned to where her neck met her shoulder, and he began to suck on the skin there. She let out a surprised gasp that quickly dissolved into a contented moan, and Adrien loved it. When he was happy with his work, he pulled away, revealing a dark purple spot where his mouth had been. He smirked, and the two returned to their kiss.

            They were eventually interrupted by the clock in Adrien’s room striking 1 AM. The two sat up, both of their heads of hair completely disheveled.

            “I probably should get some sleep,” she said, her eyes glancing to the favor she had repaid on his neck.

            “Want to stay here?” He asked, shooting her a wink. She smiled and nodded, and the two fell back onto the bed, continuing from where they left off until the eventually fell asleep.

* * *

 

            The next morning, Adrien woke up to the sound of someone walking out of the room. He sat up, looking around until he spotted a small box sitting on the desk across from the bed. He gently pulled his legs out from in between Marinette’s, but not without waking her up. She let out a tiny yawn, slowly sitting up to watch where he was going.

            “What’s that?” she asked as he reached the desk.

            “I don’t know, it says it’s from my dad?” Marinette stood up and began to walk over as Adrien opened the box.

            “Oh god,” he said, covering his face in shame.

            “What’s in it?” Marinette asked, but didn’t wait for an answer. She pushed open the flaps of the box and looked inside, only to burst into a brilliant blush.

            Inside was almost a hundred tiny foil packets of various brands and sizes, and a handwritten note from Adrien’s father reading “Be safe and good luck, son”, complete with a hand-drawn, winking face.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A beautifully romantic vacation ends in a beautifully romantic dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M ALIVE!!!!! Yes, I have not forgotten about this fic, but life got super duper crazy! Since my last update I went away to college, visited Disneyland, survived finals week and FINALLY found time to write a new chapter! I'm so sorry that it's taken this long but thank you for continuing to read! Hope you enjoy this one!

* * *

 

            The last night of their vacation had arrived far too soon.

            They had spent all of that Saturday just lounging about, being both too lazy to do anything that day and being much too happy to continue to lazily make out all day in bed. Be that as it may, Adrien knew that they would have to get up eventually, seeing as he had a very special dinner planned for his lady. So, at around 4 PM, he began to gently urge her to get up.

            “Marinette,” he called to her after she had dozed off into a shallow nap. She grumbled out a sleepy response, to which Adrien giggled. “You have to get up now, my lady.” He started to gingerly rub her shoulder, but he was met with no movement. “Well, you’ve left me no choice, Marinette. I’m sorry that I must now use this weapon of mass destruction on you.” Still, she didn’t reply, so he slowly sat up and got onto his knees, looming over her.

            He then began to tickle the living daylights out of her, assaulting her bare sides and armpits as she quickly sprang to life, desperately trying to defend herself. The two hadn’t returned their shirts to their typical location, favoring the idea of leaving them on the floor next to the bed. Now that left Marinette completely susceptible to Adrien’s attacks, and she was left gasping for air in between laughing fits.

            “Alright, alright, I’m awake, I’m getting up!” She screamed, and the invading hands were suddenly replaced with warm lips on hers. She kissed him back, but then pulled away so that she could smack him on the shoulder. “That was rude!” She scolded playfully, unable to hold the pout on her face.

            “I told you, you left me no choice!” He defended himself, playfully crossing his arms in front of him and looking away with a pout. “But seriously, you had to get up. You’ve got to get ready for your surprise!” He looked at Marinette, who had been intrigued by this “surprise”.

            “A surprise? What kind of a surprise?” She tilted her head slightly to the side, making Adrien’s heart do a little flip at how cute she looked.

            “A surprise that you should dress up for,” he answered, not giving Marinette the answer. “I would have said ‘a surprise you should look nice for’, but you always look nice so I thought I should be more specific.” He smiled a very Chat smile, and Marinette didn’t even bother to chastise him for it.

            “Well, if you’re not going to fill me in, I guess I’ll just go get ready.” She then rolled out of bed, reclaimed her pajama top and put it around her shoulders before cutting through the bathroom back into her own room. Tikki had made her way back in there during the night and was sleeping peacefully on a pillow at the head of the bed. Marinette then grabbed her shower supplies and returned to the bathroom to shower.

            While she was getting ready, Adrien went over to his suitcase and searched around the bottom until he found what he was looking for- a small black box, complete with cheesy green ribbon tied in a bow on top. Adrien took this package and hid it in the interior pocket of his suit jacket, which he had hung on his closet door. He then walked over to the chair where Plagg was snoozing, picked him up and sat down, holding the kwami in his hands.

            “Hey, what’s the big idea? I was having a nice dream!” The kwami whined, but Adrien was too wrapped up in his thoughts to care.

            “Do you think she’ll like it?” He asked quietly, not wanting her to hear.

            “Dude, it practically has her name on it. And besides, I can tell you that as a third party observer, she’s definitely going to love the entire evening.” Adrien then thanked Plagg, placing him back on his bed before starting to gather his things for his shower.

            Just as Marinette finished, Adrien walked in, blushing slightly at the sight of his towel-clad girlfriend. She just smiled and continued about her business.

            “Guess I finally returned the favor, huh?” She joked as he placed his wash bag on the table. He then went to take his shower, and she quickly went back to her room to put on an old t-shirt and some cloth shorts so that she wouldn’t be restricted by her towel as she did her makeup and hair.

            She blow-dried her hair as quickly as she could while her curling iron heated up. Alya had forced her to bring it along, and now Marinette was once again thankful that she had been there to help her pack. Once it was dry, she sprayed in a little heat protectant and began to curl it in big, loose curls. Once they were in, she left them to cool as she did her makeup.

            She put on her foundation and concealer and filled in her eyebrows before moving on to her eyes. She decided to do a gold smoky-eye, and used a glittery light gold shade all over her lid and then a darker gold shade in the crease and outer corner, as well as underneath her bottom lashes. Once that was all blended, she lined the top lash line with a black liquid liner and then put on mascara. A little bit of setting powder, blush and bronzer later, her make-up was all finished and ready to go.

            Adrien came out of the shower at this point, and asked to borrow Marinette’s hair drier for his own hair. He was vaguely disappointed that she wasn’t still in a towel, but he decided it was better to have gotten a glimpse than to not have at all. While he dried his hair, Marinette ran her fingers through hers, breaking up the curls into beachy waves. She then set them with a little bit of hairspray (she didn’t want to have to worry about open flames) and then returned to her bedroom to get dressed. Adrien finished his hair shortly after she left, and the too returned to get ready in his room.

            At this point, Marinette was panicking about what to wear. She wanted to look really nice, seeing as Adrien had brought a suit that she assumed he was going to wear. After tearing apart her suitcase and trying on a hundred outfits, she decided to wear a relatively new dress that her mother had bought her as a “congrats, you finished another school year!” present. It was a black, sleek, strapless dress that had a peplum detail that accentuated both her hips and her waist. A pencil skirt resumed after the peplum, and the whole thing ended a little bit above her knee. Satisfied with her choice, she put on a black strapless bra and matching underwear before pulling the actual dress on.

            Unfortunately, the dress had a very small zipper in the back that Marinette, no matter how hard she tried, could not reach. So, with only one remaining option for getting it closed, she put on her heels (a simple pair of black pumps) and grabbed her evening bag (a loan from Alya, it was black leather with a kiss-lock closure) before walking through the hallway to Adrien’s room.

            Adrien was just finishing up tying his green tie when he heard the knock on his door. He yelled for Marinette to come in as he finished, before turning to look at her. He was nearly knocked to the floor. She was in the most stunning black dress that he had ever seen in his life. It was form fitting in all the right places, loose where it needed to be, and accentuated every part of Marinette so that she looked, essentially, like a goddess. Her hair and makeup were done to perfection, and the shoes and clutch made the outfit even greater.

            “I need you to zip me up,” she said, before walking up to him and turning around, pulling her hair out of the way. Adrien physically gulped as his hand reached for the zipper that rested just above her (how would he phrase this politely) ass. He took in her smooth skin and how the bra clasps sat against it, as well as how defined her shoulder blades were. After what was probably too long, the dress was zipped, and Marinette let her hair fall back and turned around.

            “Ready, my lady?” He asked, offering her his arm once again.

            “Of course, kitty,” She answered, taking his arm. The two made their way to the limo, where they were whisked away to Adrien’s surprise event.

* * *

 

            When Marinette next stepped out of the limo, she was greeted with the sight of a beautiful sea side restaurant. The pair walked in arm in arm, only to be whisked away to a cozy table in front of a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the ocean and at the beautiful sunset. Adrien pulled her seat out and pushed her in before taking his seat, and the two simultaneously put their napkins in their laps.

            “Adrien, this is way too much,” Marinette started. “You’ve done nothing but spoil me since we got her. In fact, even taking me here was too much,” she smiled shyly, looking out at the incredible view.

            “Marinette, I will never be able to spoil you enough,” Adrien had a faint blush over his cheeks as he said it. “You deserve the whole world. And all I want to do is stand up right now and pull it out of the sky and hand it to you, but unfortunately I don’t have the strength. So the best I can manage is to spoil you with what I _do_ have, even though it’ll never be enough to equal what you already have done for me,” Adrien smiled widely at Marinette, who was blushing and smiling back.

            “Oh my God, Adrien, that is both the most beautifully romantic and cheesiest thing I have ever heard in my life,” she giggled slightly, “and I absolutely love it. But seriously, I could say the same thing about you. So at this point I think we’re just going to end up in a spoiling war.”

            “Well, if that’s the case, then I am _so_ going to win,” Adrien’s face was then covered in an overdramatic determination. He would play that game, alright. He had meant every word that he had (however cliché) said to Marinette, and if she wanted to think of it as an all-out war, then he would just have to gently destroy her with his romantic affections.

            “Game on, Agreste, you’ll be sorry you ever messed with me!” Marinette playfully stuck her tongue out at him from across the table, and Adrien childishly returned the favor. Then the two once again dissolved into a laughing fit, which was then interrupted by the waiter coming to take their orders.

* * *

 

            “I really want to thank you for this week,” Marinette said a little while later, after a lull in the conversation. “This has been the greatest week of my life.” Adrien smiled at Marinette from across the table, and she returned the gesture.

            “I’m so glad you enjoyed it, my lady. We’ll have to do this again someday, but maybe without horrifically awkward encounters with my father?” Marinette laughed, thinking back to how embarrassing Adrien must have found his father’s behavior.

            “Yeah, that’s probably the only thing that could have been improved upon,” Marinette mused, and Adrien chuckled. He knew his father had just wanted to keep an eye on them, but Adrien was of the suspicion that he hadn’t been aware of how over-zealous his attitude came across.

            “It’ll be nice to get back home, though. I worry about Paris too much.” Adrien said honestly. He missed seeing his friends, and he had constantly been pushing the thought of an Akuma attack out of his mind the whole week. Just as he began to worry too much, the waiter returned with their meals, and they dove into them happily.

* * *

 

            The two finished their dinners and their dessert contentedly, reviewing the events of the week and reminiscing about their favorite parts. They had watched the sunset the entire time, and Marinette had smiled at the fact that they had finished eating just as the sun finally sank beneath the horizon. They both lounged back in their seats, nearly too full to move, merely enjoying each other’s company.

            “Thank you for such an incredible dinner, Adrien.” Marinette said, sitting up a little in her chair and putting her napkin on the table. “Are you ready to head back?”

            “Well, there’s one more thing I have in store this evening,” he said, sitting up before standing. Marinette followed suit, and Adrien grabbed her hand gently before pulling Marinette to stand in front of the window. While the sun had disappeared, a gorgeous display of colors was still splashed across the sky above the incredibly blue water beneath it. “I may have gone a little overboard, but I couldn’t resist how cliché it was.”

            Marinette took her eyes off of the incredible view to look at Adrien, who was searching around the inside pocket of his jacket with his hand. After a few seconds, his hand retreated from the jacket, a small black box in hand. It was wrapped in Chat Noir style with a green ribbon tied around it. He handed the box to Marinette, who took it cautiously before untying the ribbon and opening it.

            “Adrien, you didn’t,” she gasped, her eyes taking in the beautiful piece of jewelry. It was a dainty silver charm bracelet, all of its hooks empty except for two. From the two center hooks hung two charms; a small ladybug and a small black cat. They were incredibly beautiful and well-crafted, and Marinette felt happy tears building in her eyes. “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she smiled, wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye. She looked at Adrien, who was smiling a huge grin, before she moved and pulled him into one of the tightest hugs she had ever given anyone.

            “I’m glad you like it, my lady. It’s just a little something to look at and remind you of me.” Adrien hugged her back, pulling away to then give her a shy kiss. Marinette took the bracelet out of the box and had Adrien put it on her, marveling in the way it looked and felt against her wrist.

            “There’s one more thing that goes with it. I really hope you like it.” Adrien grabbed both of Marinette’s hands and let them hang in between them. Marinette looked at him, and he looked straight into her eyes. His heart was racing and he hesitated slightly, but he pushed through it, took a deep breath, and gave her his last gift. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, my lady,” he smiled at her, and her back at him, before he finally went through with it.

            “I love you.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love confessions and telling Alya all about them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with another chapter! It's amazing how much writing you can get done when you're on winter break XD Unfortunately I go back to college this weekend, but I'm going to try my best to write during my free time while I'm there! As always, thanks so much for reading and leaving feedback and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

           

* * *

            Marinette stood in front of Adrien for a few seconds, just blinking at what he had just said. Her mind was running about five minutes late; she had still been so caught up in the magic of the evening and the stunning beauty of the bracelet that her brain had almost completely missed the three words Adrien had said. He had another part of the gift, her mind recapped, and he took her hands in his, and then he had said-

            _Holy Mary, WHAT DID HE JUST SAY???_

As her brain finished freaking out, Marinette’s face took control of itself and twisted into the world’s biggest grin. He had said it. He had said it to her. He had said it to her _and had meant it!_ Marinette then suddenly found herself wrapping her arms around Adrien’s neck, pulling him into an incredibly tight hug. Marinette just whispered “thank you, thank you, thank you” over and over again in Adrien’s ear as he moved his arms to hug her back just as tightly. Soon the two broke apart, both smiling like fiends.

            “That was well received,” Adrien chuckled, hands still resting on her hips. She was over the moon; “happy” was officially too weak a word to describe how she felt in that moment. She smiled and rested her forehead against his, her arms still around his neck. He _loved_ her, and that was all she needed to sustain her for the rest of her life. But she knew that he was still waiting for her reply and that not even a hundred of those intense hugs and a million kisses could ever convey how she truly felt to him.

            “I love you, too.” She whispered, looking into his eyes and smiling like an idiot. He too was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes ablaze with the sheer joy of having his sentiment returned. He then moved to kiss her before pulling away so that their joined hands hung in between them, the beautiful colors of the sunset slowly fading into blackness.

            “I hate to say this,” Adrien broke the silence after a few minutes of staring into each other’s eyes and gazing at the sunset, “but we have a pretty early flight tomorrow.” Marinette groaned, not wanting to leave the moment that they were in.

            “Why can’t we just stay here forever?” Marinette questioned rhetorically. She knew why they couldn’t; besides being completely impractical in terms of their normal civilian lives, the pair had already taken a huge risk in leaving Paris without both of their heroes and extending that timeframe was too dangerous.

            “Come on, it’s not that bad in Paris,” Adrien smiled, mindlessly rubbing the back of Marinette’s hands with his thumbs. “We have all our friends there, your parents are there, and not to mention that we get spend our lives moonlighting as superheroes! I mean who would ever want to go someplace where they would miss out on the amazing Chat Noir’s puns?” Adrien made his famous Chat Noir smile, causing Marinette to smile in so-called defeat before laughing at Adrien’s ego.

            “While I wouldn’t necessarily say that Chat’s puns are any good,” Adrien feigned being wounded by her words as she spoke them, “life definitely wouldn’t be the same without him. Even if his jokes are terrible.” The pair laughed until their giggles dissolved into a comfortable silence as they watched the last few minutes of the sunset. “Well, we should probably head back to the house,” Marinette mused before Adrien took her by the hand and led her out to the waiting limo.

* * *

            When they got back to the house, they made their way up into Marinette’s bedroom, the two lying down on the bed. Marinette moved so that her head rested against Adrien’s chest, and she enjoyed listening to his breathing and heartbeat. Adrien played with the ends of her hair, switching between twirling the pieces around his fingers and rubbing her back. He listened to her soft breathing and watched as her chest slowly rose and fell with each breath.

            “God, I love you, Marinette.” He quietly whispered, more to himself than to her. It felt so good to say it out loud and even better to just think about how much he really meant it. He hadn’t realized it, but every time he looked at her, there was a small tug on his heart that he couldn’t even explain. It made him want to protect her, to hug her, to kiss her, and most of all to make her happy. And now, seeing how content she was, he felt an overwhelming happiness himself.

            “I love you more than you know, Adrien, more than you know…” After all of the excitement of the evening, Marinette was slowly drifting off to sleep. It was a good thing, Adrien knew, seeing as they had a 9 AM flight the next morning and would have to leave for the airport at around 6. He just watched her as her eyes gradually closed and her breathing rate slowed, until she was completely unconscious on top of him. Adrien spent a long time just looking at her, rubbing circles on her back. It was mind-blowing that she could be the most adorable person ever, one that he just wanted to pinch the cheeks of and feed candy, while also simultaneously being the sexiest woman around.

            Adrien stayed just as he was until almost an hour had passed, until he slowly drifted off, the thought of his love for the girl on top of him moving into his dreams.

* * *

            The next morning, Marinette woke up next to Adrien, still in her dress from the night before, her makeup rubbed all over her face. She apparently had fallen asleep on top of him, just as she had been thinking of how much she loved the man she was using as a pillow.

            She rolled out of bed and walked into the bathroom, taking out her makeup remover and trying to clean up the mess that her mascara had made overnight. After she finally removed her raccoon eyes, she decided to jump in the shower.

            Adrien woke up to find that Marinette had already left. Judging by the warmth of the sheets next to him, she hadn’t gotten up too long before him. Smiling, he got up out of the bed and went into the bathroom. He saw the shower room door was closed, indicating that Marinette had gone in there. He then moved to the sink and began to wash his face and brush his teeth.

            When Marinette came out of the shower, towel wrapped loosely around her, she was greeted with the sight of a sleepy-looking Adrien unenthusiastically brushing his teeth.

            “Morning, kitty,” she greeted, walking up to him and planting a kiss on his cheek. He looked up at her in the reflection, eyes widening as he saw what she was wearing. He (elegantly) spit the toothpaste out of his mouth before turning to look at her.

            “I see it’s my turn to return the favor,” he chuckled as she moved over to her sink to get her toothbrush out.

            “I guess so,” she smiled before continuing to get ready. They had woken up just in the nick of time; they were due to leave in about a half hour. The two quickly packed up their toiletries and went to their separate rooms. Marinette got dressed and made it a point to put on her new bracelet and then packed away all of her belongings. It was a tight squeeze back into the suitcases, but eventually she got them all to zip closed.

            Adrien did the same in his room, eventually walking back through the bathroom into Marinette’s room. He told her the car was ready when she was, and the two hauled their suitcases down the stairs so the driver could load them into the car. The trip to the airport, as well as security, went by uneventfully. The two boarded the flight quickly and enjoyed watching a few movies, snuggled up together in their seats.

            Although they didn’t know it, they were both thinking the same thing. This had been the most magical week of their lives, and while it was sad to be going home, they both couldn’t wait for what the future held.

         

* * *

            Life became quite hectic for Adrien and Marinette after they returned home. Marinette’s parents wanted to spend nearly every waking moment with their daughter, treating her as if they hadn’t seen her in years, and it didn’t help that the bakery was insanely busy, forcing Marinette to work long hours. She barely had any time to herself, but what little time she had was in the evenings, which she spent as Ladybug guarding her beloved city with her even more beloved Chat Noir.

            The first Saturday after her return, Alya had practically shoved her way into Marinette’s bedroom. She had talked to Marinette on the phone, but she hadn’t seen her best friend in person since she had helped her pack for her trip.

            “Tell. Me. EVERYTHING.” Alya jumped onto Marinette’s bed, assuming the classic “girls slumber party” position. Marinette was calming herself down after having the living daylights scared out of her by her friend’s arrival, but she eventually dissolved into giggles as she turned to face her.

            “If I tell you everything you’ll be here until midnight,” Marinette laughed, causing Alya to giggle too.  “Where should I start? How about we start with thanking you for your incredible sunscreen plan?”

            “I told you, it works every time! You’re lucky to have such an experienced best friend.” Alya laughed some more, pretending to brush off her shoulders egotistically.

            “I also should thank you for helping me pack. I would have literally had to have worn a potato sack everyday if you hadn’t helped me.” Marinette gave her friend a huge smile, which was immediately returned.

            “As much as I would love to sit here all day and have you shower me in compliments,” Alya responded, “I want the scoop! What’d you guys get up to?”

            “We didn’t really do much other than tour the city, but we did end up going to Disneyland. We saw the fireworks and everything; it was so incredible!” Marinette smiled widely, her mind savoring the memory of such a beautiful day.

            “That’s nice and all, Marinette, but I’m only here for the juicy details. Did you guys get down?” Marinette suddenly went very quiet, a furious blush rushing onto her cheeks. “Oh my God, you did! You guys got too it faster than me and Nino did! I never expected that, I mean you two are like the poster children for abstinence like holy-”

            “Alya, NO! We didn’t, I mean, of course we wouldn’t, at least, I mean…” Marinette trailed off, avoiding looking at Alya’s smug face. “We didn’t get that far…” Alya squealed, sitting up and waving her arms in frantic excitement. “We lost the shirts; that’s it.”

            “Did you lose the bra too?”

            “No! Keep your voice down, my parents are downstairs!” Marinette glanced at the trap door, fearing that her nosy parents were just on the other side listening.

            “Alright, alright don’t worry.” Alya mimed pulling a zipper across her lips. “What else happened? I’m sure you didn’t just do Disneyland and each other for a week straight.” Marinette groaned at her comment, rolling her eyes but smiling widely once again afterwards.

            “Well, he took me to dinner on the last night,” Marinette started, “to this absolutely beautiful and ridiculously fancy restaurant. We sat at this table right in front of a huge window and ate while we watched the sunset. And then after we ate, we stood and watched the sun fade away over the ocean and he gave me this.” Marinette pulled her sleeve up slightly to reveal the charm bracelet, which she hadn’t once taken off since Adrien had given it to her. Alya screamed and dove off of Marinette’s bed, racing to grab her wrist and study the charms on it.

            Marinette then realized that it would be relatively difficult to explain why Adrien had chosen the charms to be a ladybug and a black cat without disclosing that they were the famous super heroes.

            “I thought it was kind of funny,” Marinette laughed nervously, moving her other hand to rub the back of her neck. “He likes to think of us as Ladybug and Chat Noir because, you know, Chat Noir is blonde like him and I have black hair like Ladybug.” It was the most crap excuse Marinette had ever come up with, but she prayed that Alya bought it.

            “I can totally see him doing that, the weirdo,” Alya laughed, moving away from Marinette to sit in the chair in the corner of the room. Marinette sighed inwardly out of relief, thankful that Alya took the excuse. “Was that it then? Nothing else steamy or juicy?”

            “Well,” Marinette smiled hugely again, “the bracelet wasn’t all that he gave me that night…”

            “Oh my God, did he give you a hickey?”

            “No! It was-“

            “Did he give you boob massage?  
            “No, that sounds gross, he gave me-”

            “What about a ride on his ‘pogo stick?’”

            “ALYA! Is that all you can think about?” The two girls laughed before Marinette added softly, “the hickey was the night before.” Alya screamed again, laughing as hard as possible at Marinette’s incredibly red face. Once she calmed down, Marinette continued, “at the restaurant, after he gave me the bracelet, he told me he loved me.” Alya suddenly got very quiet, a huge grin spreading from ear to ear across her face.

            “Did you reciprocate?”

            “Of course I did! You know I’ve been low-key in love with him since day one,” Marinette smiled back at Alya who still was sitting in slight shock from the news. After a few seconds, she snapped out of it and returned to her usual self.

            “I’m proud of you Marinette,” she nodded approvingly. “But tell me this- did you take your bikini top off for Adrien to put the sunscreen on? Because there is no way you avoided tan lines with it on.”

            “ALYA!”

**Author's Note:**

> You made it! Hope you enjoyed, and let me know how to make it better!


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